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HEARING 

BEFORE THE 







HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 


ALASKA-YUKON EXPOSITION 


JANUARY 27, 1908 


COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL ARTS AND EXPOSITIONS 


SIXTIETH CONGRESS 


AUGUSTUS P. GARDNER, Chairman 


WILLIAM A. RODENBERG 
JOSEPH HOWELL 
JAMES M. MILLER 
CHARLES N. BRUMM 
EDWIN W. HIGGINS 
CYRUS DUREY 
JOHN M. NELSON 


JOEL COOK 
JOHN W. LANGLEY 
HARRY L. MAYNARD 
GEORGE S. LEGARE 
HENRY M. GOLDFOGLE 
JOSEPH L. RHINOCK 
COURTNEY W. HAMLIN 
LE GAGE PRATT 


W. W. LUFKIN, Clerk 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1908 


i 









y\ ^ ° 1909 
0* ox 0« j 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE, WASH. 




HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL ARTS AND 
EXPOSITIONS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 


House of Representatives, 

Select Committee on Industrial Arts 

and Expositions, 

Washington, D. C., January 27, 1908. 

The committee met at 10.30 o’clock a. m. 

Present, the chairman (Hon. A. P. Gardner) and Messrs. Joseph 
Howell, Edwin W. ITiggin, John M. Nelson, George S. Legare, Henry 
M. Goldfogle, Le Gage Pratt, John W. Langlev, and Courtney Wl 

t T T ° ** 7 ^ 

Hamlm. 

STATEMENT OF HON. W. E. HUMPHREY, A REPRESENTATIVE 

FROM THE STATE OF WASHINGTON. 

Mr. Humphrey: Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, 
we come before you to-day realizing the fact that there are many 
Members of Congress who entertain a very strong feeling against the 
Government giving aid to expositions. Whether that feeling is 
justified or not it is not now my purpose to argue. But I do ask you 
not to be for this fair because you have been for others, and I ask 
you not to be against this fair because you have been against others^ 
Consistency is of itself a jewel of very doubtful value. A man too 
often has to compromise with his conscience in order to keep his: 
record what we sometimes mistakenly call consistent. The really 
consistent man is the man that always does what he believes is tike- 
right thing to do at the time he does it, regardless of what he has done 
before. This is consistency that is always the real jewel. Trusting 
and believing that we will get from the committee such consistency,, 
we come before you to-day with perfect confidence, because of the 
faith we have in the justness of our cause. Let me impress first of 
all upon this committee, now and for all time, our unchangeable deter¬ 
mination that we are not going to ask the Government to give us a 
dollar for this exposition. Do not meet this statement by saying 
that such promises are easily made and quickly repudiated, or that 
such promise has been frequently made before. However true this 
may be, this promise now being made will be kept in the letter and 
in the spirit. And I say to you now that I will not only not work 
for anything that violates in the least degree this promise, but that 
I will work against and vote against any such proposition, and I feel 
perfeetlv justified in pledging the rest of the delegation to do the 
same tiling. All we want, all we ask, and all we will accept is a rea¬ 
sonable participation therein by the Government. We want a suit¬ 
able Government exhibit. We believe we are entitled to this. This 
much the Government has seldom or never denied. We do not 
think that we should be made an exception. We do not believe that 
you will think so when you have heard our case. 


3 




4 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


THE PHILIPPINES. 

We do not speak so much to-day for ourselves as for others. Over 
on the farther side of the Pacific, over a group of islands, floats our 
country’s flag. By the unseen hand of fate, by the destiny of war, 
these islands came to us. It is true, too true, that they brought with 
them many new and perplexing problems. It is also true that many 
patriotic citizens to-day regret that we ever received them. There 
are many, no doubt, if it could be done consistently with honor, who 
would like to see us part with them, but we have them, and no man 
has yet been wise enough to suggest a plan that met with popular 
approval for getting rid of them. So, whatever you may desire or 
whatever I may desire in regard to the Philippine Islands, we both 
know that there is little or no probability that any of this generation 
will ever see our flag leave them. As long as we keep these islands, it 
is not only our duty, but it is to our advantage in every way to help 
develop them and to civilize their people. The resources of these 
islands are little known and practically untouched. They have 
mineral resources of vast richness. They have tremendous agricul¬ 
tural possibilities. They have mighty forests of rarest and most 
beautiful of woods. Of all these great resources, of these immeasur¬ 
able riches, the world has but the dimmest knowledge. Of their 
people, their capabilities, their accomplishments, and of the resources 
of their country, even we in the United States know practically 
nothing. The Government should help the Philippines to make a 
creditable exhibit, one especially that would show the commercial 
opportunities and the commercial resources of the islands. There is 
capital in this country ready to go to these islands, ready to develop 
them, ready to give their riches to the world, if the facts can only be 
brought to its attention. Congress should aid the Philippines in 
demonstrating to the world what they have. We feel entirely justi¬ 
fied in coming before this committee and asking a liberal appropria¬ 
tion for the Philippine Islands. 


ALASKA. 

The Government has taken millions from Alaska. Three hundred 
and five million dollars’ worth of products Alaska has produced since 
she became a part of our country: Alaska wishes to participate in this 
exhibition. r l his is the desire of those who represent her in official 
capacities. This is the unanimous wish of her people. She has no 
money for this purpose. She has no way to raise money for this pur¬ 
pose. The Government taxes Alaska for the use of the Government, 
but the Government does not permit Alaska to tax herself for the bene¬ 
fit of herself. Alaska has paid in revenue to the Government more 
than $11,000,000. The Government has not expended this money 
for the benefit of Alaska. She has not given it to Alaska, nor has she 
given Alaska its equivalent. Certainly no one on this committee 
will deny that Alaska is justified in asking Congress to give her a small 
part of the millions she has paid to the Government to be used for 
her own benefit, to be used m exploiting her own vast riches. We 
imagine sometimes in Seattle and on the Pacific coast that we know 
what Alaska contains, that we know its resources, but every year 
demonstrates that we know but little. The fisheries of Alaska are 
beyond comparison, the greatest of the world, and yet how little we 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 5 

* 

know even of this well-known industry. How many men of this com¬ 
mittee know that the famous codfish, banks of the Atlantic are almost 
insignificant as compared with the codfish banks of Alaska? The ex¬ 
perts sent by the Government to investigate the Alaska banks re¬ 
ported that there were 1,000 codfish in Alaska waters for every one 
that ever was in the Atlantic. 

I know that this statement may excite the envy and arouse the 
fighting blood of the chairman, Mr. Gardner, to have any invidious 
comparison made concerning the sacred cod of his native land, or 
rather his native waters. I want to say further to the other mem¬ 
bers of the committee that we are now sending regularly from Seattle 
halibut to the classic city of Boston. So, if any of you at any time 
have occasion to ask the question, concerning the distinguished chair¬ 
man, “Upon what meat doth this our Csesar feed?” the question is 
already answered. The halibut banks of Alaska and the northern 
Pacific are practically unlimited. Nowhere on all the globe do the 
waters so teem with life as along the shores of Alaska. Last spring 
I stood upon the banks of a little stream in Alaska, only 35 miles long, 
only a few yards wide, yet every year more than $3,000,000 worth of 
salmon come up from the sea to enter that small stream. The value 
of the salmon alone brought from Alaska this year will probably be 
$10,000,000. The salmon industries of Alaska have paid into the 
national Treasury, in taxes, more than $1,000,000. These industries 
have received practically nothing in return from the Government. 
The people of Alaska are especially anxious for a great fisheries 
exhibit. Certainly, gentlemen, you must under the circumstances 
be liberal to an industry that has been so profitable to the Govern¬ 
ment, that has paid so much revenue, and that promises so much 
revenue in the future. 

. Another great resource of Alaska is, of course, its gold, its coal, its 
copper, and its other minerals. Of its gold the world knows some¬ 
thing definite. It has given us $125,000,000 of this precious metal 
and it is still giving at the rate of $20,000,000 annually. But its coal 
mines are vastly greater and more valuable than its gold mines, wdiile 
probably its copper mines are greater than either. The Government 
reports show that the coal fields of Alaska are among the greatest in 
North America. And probably the greatest copper mines on the 
globe are in Alaska. Then there are its vast forests. Their value 
is not yet, however, at all appreciated or comprehended. 

The fur and the game is another great resource. The game of 
Alaska will prove in the future to be one of its most profitable assets. 
Alaska is the home of the great brown bear, the largest carnivorous 
animal that now lives, and of the Kanai moose, the majestic giant 
of all the deer family, and many other varieties of rarest large game. 
This game is attracting sportsmen from every part of the globe that 
will not only spend their money in Alaska, but that will become 
explorers and exploiters of this vast and largely unknown country. 
We are apt to think only of the gold of Alaska. Gold is only one of 
its resources and by no means its greatest. I confidently predict 
that the future will demonstrate thfi t is one of the least. No man 
can measure and no man can exaggerate the resources of Alaska. 
And Alaska, in coming before you to-dav and asking you for assist¬ 
ance to advertise these great resources, stands almost, if not entirely, 
in the position of simply asking you to give her a portion of what 
belongs to her in order that she may expend it for her own benefit. 


6 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


HAWAII. 

Hawaii pays annually more than a $1,000,000 into the national 
Treasury. She wants some of this money, a small portion, to make 
an exhibit. Hawaii to-day is cramped and hampered, and the great 
development that is rightfully hers much retarded by a want of 
•capital and by a want of people. This great handicap is due almost 
entirely to a lack of information of the world at large of the 
opportunities that Hawaii possesses. Let the people of the United 
States know the opportunities of this island and population and 
money would soon find its way there. Her representatives and her 
people want to participate in our exhibit. It means much to them, 
it means much to the nation. Congress can not afford to be miserly 
with Hawaii. The mighty resources of Hawaii, of the Philippines, 
and Alaska are practically of little use to man and bring but little 
benefit to the Government. They lie waiting only the magic change 
that is wrought by the industry of hand and brain to pour forth 
their measureless wealth.* This transformation can only come by 
letting the world know the facts, by letting men know that they will 
foe the gainers by developing these resources. It is for this purpose 
that Alaska, Hawaii, and the Philippines ask you to give them an 
appropriation in keeping with the greatness of their products. 

IMPORTANCE OF THE PACIFIC. 

The great commercial development of this nation in the future 
must be upon the Pacific. If we are to have commercial supremacy, 
it must come upon the Pacific. If we are to be a world power, we 
must conquer the Pacific. The future, the destiny and the integrity 
of this nation, depends most largely upon our action within the next 
few years upon the Pacific. The next ten years will be big with 
mighty events upon the Pacific Ocean. We may attempt as we will 
to disguise the fact, but upon the Pacific within the next few years 
will be the scene of our greatest achievement, our greatest success, 
our greatest glory, or it will be the scene of our failure, our defeat, 
and our humiliation. And herein, gentlemen, to my mind, lies the 
greatest reason of all for doing at this most opportune time every¬ 
thing possible to draw the attention of the nation to this fact. Can 
money be more wisely expended than for this purpose ? 

THE GROUNDS. 

The exposition is to be held on the campus of the State University 
in the city of Seattle. The grounds contain 258 acres. Among 
other advantages the selection of this site reduced real estate specu¬ 
lation to the minimum. On the north side of the grounds is a beauti¬ 
ful natural park of giant forest trees. In the distance is seen the 
great white peak of Mount Baker. On the east the grounds are 
bounded by the shores of Lake Washington, a lake 25 miles in length, 
of surpassing beauty, paralleling Puget Sound, which lies at an aver¬ 
age distance of about 3 miles to the westward. Beyond Lake Wash¬ 
ington you see the great snow-crested Cascade Range. To the south 
the grounds slope down to a beautiful little body of water, Lake Union. 
This lake lies in the very heart of the city of Seattle, and beyond to 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 7 

the southward is seen that solitary, that most splendid snow-crowned 
peak of the world, mighty Mount Rainier. To the westward you 
see Puget Sound, which Captain Hobson described a few days ago 
as the finest inland sea of the world. And beyond Puget Sound lies 
the magnificent Olympics, the most rugged mountains of the conti¬ 
nent, whose peaks are ever white with the eternal snows. W*e have 
the most perfect climate on all the circuit of the globe. The world 
can not match, for marvelous natural beauty, the location w r e have 
selected. Seattle is built on a series of ridges between Puget Sound 
and Lake Washington, and running parallel to them. There are 
many crosstown street car lines reaching the lake. From the end of 
these lines the innumerable boats on the lake can carry the crowds to 
the grounds. The grounds are also reached by several street car 
lines direct and by one railroad. From the city runs a most mag^ 
nificent boulevard winding among the hills and through the native 
forests of giant firs and cedars for carriages, automobiles, and other 
vehicles. The facilities for reaching the grounds are varied and 
entirely efficient. 

This fair will not be a failure. Regardless of Government action 
this fair will be a success. We do not come before Congress as beggars. 
We do not come pleading as paupers. We do not come here saying 
that the fate of our exhibition depends upon Congressional assistance. 
If v T e can give no better reason than that for aid, then we have no right 
to be here. We are going to give a great fair. We want the nation to 
participate. Such participation will help us; it will also help the 
country more. If we can do something that will direct the eyes of the 
world to the mighty resources of the Pacific countries, if we can do 
something that will cause these resources to be developed and utilized, 
we have conferred an immeasurable benefit upon the entire nation. 
The fact that we also benefit ourselves certainly should not weigh 
against us. That we may benefit more than any other section is probably 
true, and it is right that we should. We will bear the heaviest burdens. 
It is the State of Washington and the city of Seattle that will take the 
greatest chances, that will do the most work, that will pay the most 
money. Does any man envy us the greater portion, if, by our efforts, 
the harvest is made fruitful? We will not fail. The eyes of the 
world to-day are turned toward the Pacific coast. The capitalist 
with his millions and the toiler with only his willing hands are both 
asking to know its opportunities and to both these classes it is to-day, 
under all our flag, the brightest land of promise. The Pacific coast is 
synonymous with push, enterprise, and success. The Portland fair 
was the most successful ever given. We have no failures standing 
against us. You have a right to believe that those who have always 
succeeded, always will succeed. Then pardon me what may seem like 
a local boast, but we of the State of Washington and the city of Seattle 
more than twenty years ago blotted from our vocabulary the word 
“failure.” 

While every part of our State has most generously aided the under¬ 
taking, yet the success or failure of this fair undoubtedly rests, 
primarily, upon the city of Seattle. In all the pages of Seattle’s 
history no man has ever read the word “defeat.” Some years ago, 
when Seattle was a struggling village, it was threatened with ex¬ 
termination by a great railway system. It was necessary for its 
existence that it have a railroad to reach certain coal mines. It had 


8 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


no rich men, it could not secure eastern capital, but the road must be 
built or the village was doomed. Then the banker and the lawyer 
and the shopkeeper and the preacher, as well as the day laborer, 
- left their usual avocations of life, took up the ax, the pick, and the 
shovel, and taking with them their wives and daughters and sisters, 
as patriotic and as determined as themselves, who in tents and shacks 
did the cooking for them, went out into those mighty forests of ours, 
cleared the trees, constructed the roadbed, laid the iron, and them¬ 
selves built the railroad, won the battle and saved the city. There 
and then was laid the first great stone in the foundation of Seattle’s 
future % greatness. From that day to this, Seattle has always dictated 
to the railroads and never the railroads to Seattle. 

A few years ago one of our shipbuilders was here in Washington 
to bid for the construction of a great battle ship. He wired that, 
owing to the difference in freight and the price of labor upon the 
Pacific and the Atlantic coasts, he could not take the contract in 
competition with the Atlantic bidder. He estimated this difference 
to be $100,000. His telegram was made public and the people of 
Seattle, within twenty-four hours, subscribed the amount, and the 
$100,000 was paid to him the day the ship was launched. 

We wanted a ship canal constructed at Seattle. The Government 
said the right of way belonged to private parties. We condemned 
it|and paid for it $250,000—it is now worth a million—and gave it 
to the Government. We did other things in connection with this 
great work that the Government should have done and that the 
Government has done and usually does in connection with such 
projects, to the amount of $2,000,000 more. The probable cost of 
completing this work will be $4,000,000, $2,000,000 for the canal 
and $2,000,000 for the lock. The Government moves slowly. We 
grew somewhat impatient, so we now say to the Government, we 
will dig the canal if you will put in the lock, or to state it in other 
words, we will give $5,000,000 ourselves if the Government will 
give $2,000,000 on a work that the Government should construct 
alone. 

Do you think, when vou look at that record, the Seattle Fair will 
be a failure? Now, what have we already done for ourselves in 
relation to this fair? And, gentlemen, you who are familiar, as I 
am not, with the other exhibitions of this character which the Gov¬ 
ernment has aided, I invite comparison of our action with the action 
of others. Remember our State has only a little more than a million 
people, that Seattle has probably not more than 225,000 people. 
This much we have already done: We have secured grounds that 
can not be surpassed; we have already expended over $350,000 in 
advertising and in preparing these grounds. 

The Chairman. How much did you say? 

Mr. Humphrey. $350,000. 

The Chairman. That has been spent already? 

Mr. Humphrey. Yes, sir. The State and the counties of the State 
have given $1,278,000, and I ask you to remember that our State 
has only a little over a million people and that the city of Seattle 
has about 225,000. 

The Chairman. If I do not interrupt you, how much did you say 
had been subscribed by the State and the counties, etc? 

Mr. Humphrey. The State and the counties, $1,278,000. 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


9 


The Chairman. That is, a million dollars by the State and 
$278,000 by the counties? 

Mr. Humphrey. Yes, sir. 

Mr. Goldfogle. How much has been paid in, or has any of it been 
paid in ? 

Mr. Humphrey. I do not know as to the details. I will call a 
gentleman before the committee who has information upon that 
subject. 

Mr. Nelson. Is that subscription by the counties as such or by 
individuals? 

Mr. Humphrey. No; individuals and counties. The management 
of the exposition asked the people of Seattle to give $500,000. The 
first day the books were opened $625,000 was subscribed, and un¬ 
doubtedly this subscription will be raised as soon as the opportunity 
is offered to $800,000, and this subscription and all of it will be paid. 
A great portion of it has already been paid. Every man, woman, 
and child in Seattle feels that if this fair is a failure that it will be a 
personal disgrace. Why the atmosphere is so charged with what we 
call the “Seattle spirit”—that is, with the feeling of everyone that 
he should do his part—that it affects even the politician. I have 
myself been writing a check for this exposition every few weeks for 
the last six months. In proportion to our ability we are doing more 
and will do more for ourselves than any other people that ever 
came before you asking aid did for themselves. There is an old pro¬ 
verb that says, “ God helps those who help themselves.” 

The Chairman. Do you refer to this committee? 

Mr. Humphrey. No; I especially except this committee, and I 
have great faith in the justice and the truth of that maxim, and if 
the Chair will permit me I will say in closing that I express the fond 
hope, with perfect confidence that this committee will not be so 
ungodly as to disregard that most righteous rule. [Laughter.] 

The Chairman. Mr. Humphrey, it is your purpose this morning to 
present some gentlemen to the committee who can give us these 
details? I mean as to the nature of the stock subscriptions, etc. 

Mr. Humphrey. Yes, sir; there are several gentlemen here for that 
purpose, but if the committee will pardon me, I will call out of the 
general order, Mr. Jones, of Tacoma, who is the president of the 
chamber of commerce of that city. He is present and desires to 
make a few general remarks, and we wish very much to have him do 
so, and with the permission of the committee I will call him now out 
of the general order. He will then give you the details. \ 

STATEMENT OF WILLIAM JONES, PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER 

OF COMMERCE OF TAKOMA, WASH. 

Mr. Jones. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I could 
probably have made a little more enthusiastic speech on this subject 
had I not heard Mr. Humphrey boosting Seattle. We are a neigh¬ 
boring city, and I was naturally a little jealous when I heard him. 
But I want to say, Mr. Chairman, that I did not come to make a 
statement as to the facts and figures or statistics, as I understand that 
that is to be done by other gentlemen. I wish to supplement every¬ 
thing that Mr. Humphrey has said with regard to the feeling in the 
State of Washington, and to speak especially as to our feeling in 


10 ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 

Tacoma. While we do not always agree out there on commercial 
matters, still this is a matter that Tacoma and Seattle can easily get 
together upon. 

I know the gentlemen who are at the head of this organization— 
that is, at the head of the fair proposition in Seattle. They are all 
men of standing in the State. They are gentlemen whose names 
can be pointed to with pride. They have made a success of practi¬ 
cally everything they have undertaken in the State. I know the 
State legislature unanimously voted this million dollars for this pur¬ 
pose, and every county in the State has gone the full limit. They 
were authorized by the State legislature to levy a tax to provide 
an exhibit at this fair, so we are all enthusiastically in favor of this 
exposition on the Pacific coast, regardless of any rivalry there may 
be between certain cities. As Mr. Humphrey has stated, I will 
admit—I would not in Tacoma, but I will here-—that Seattle has 
made good on everything that they have started out to do, very 
much to my discomfiture on certain occasions. [Laughter.] 

Now, as to Alaska, we on Puget Sound regard Alaska as one of 
the great assets on the Pacific coast, and I believe it is a great asset 
of the United States, and I also believe that any money that is spent 
that will enhance the interests of or tend to advertise Alaska and 
bring it to the front should be properly treated and considered on 
the same principle as a business man would consider an investment, 
or so much set aside every year for advertising purposes, or so much 
to increase in the output of his plant, or so much to reduce the cost of 
the expenses for the running of his plant in the way of a manufac¬ 
turing business. 

So I think that the point made by Mr. Humphrey in connection 
with that matter is very well taken and will be so considered by 
every man on Puget Sound who understands the conditions. 

As there are a good many gentlemen to follow me, I will say in con¬ 
clusion that I am authorized to speak principally for Tacoma. I 
am here not purposely to meet this committee, but I have had tele¬ 
grams from Tacoma since leaving there requesting that I should 
come here, and it is the wish of the board of trustees of the chamber 
of commerce, and Tacoma as a whole, to do everything possible to 
boost and push the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. 

Gentlemen of the committee, I thank you. 

Mr. Humphrey. Mr. Chairman, I now have the very great pleasure 
of introducing a gentleman who does not need an introduction to 
any audience in America—Secretary Taft—who has kindly consented 
to come here and say a few Words in our behalf. [Applause.] 

STATEMENT OF SECRETARY TAFT. 

Secretary Taft. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I do not think it is 
very fair to put a man in here to talk before he lias had an opportu¬ 
nity to hear others who know much more about this proposition. I 
will say that I visited Seattle this summer, and if anybody visits 
Seattle without being charged with enthusiasm on the subject of 
Seattle it is because he does not breathe in the atmosphere that is 
there. 

The question of a fair or exposition at Seattle is one that addresses 
itself to the general policy of Congress and the committee. I am 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 11 

officially interested in a great deal that would appear, I presume, at 
that fair. Congress has placed in the War Department a good many 
different functions—among others the construction of roads in 
Alaska and a certain sort of supervision over parts of that territory. 
I do not mean to be invidious in my comparisons or to reflect on 
Governor Hoggatt at all, but I think lie will admit that we have a 
commission up there that is very effective, in the shape of army 
officers who are looking after their trails and developing the country, 
and that necessarily brings us more or less in contact with Alaska. 
We have a number of posts up there, and therefore have an interest, 
especially when they get out of provisions or coal or something of 
that kind which we are able to supply them with because the trans¬ 
portation is provided. 

I have been advised also that there will be a Philippine exhibit at 
this exposition, which would of course bring the War Department 
very close to the matter. I fear that the Philippine government 
will not be able to make any money contribution of a substantial 
size to assist this exposition because of the condition of the finances 
there, but certainly the Philippine government will be glad to con¬ 
tribute in every way possible. The Government has a contract with 
a gentleman who purchased the larger part of the inanimate exposi¬ 
tion, if I may call it such—or the inanimate exhibits at the St. Louis 
exposition—by which we can secure their use in any new exposition 
of this kind. That involves some of the most valuable exhibits relat¬ 
ing- to the woods of the Philippines and the agricultural development 
and growth and the primitive methods of agriculture in the Philip¬ 
pines, all of which will be very appropriate for such an exhibit and 
can be made most economically. 

I understand that there is a question as to the form which your 
exposition bill is to take if it is to pass. Under the Jamestown pro¬ 
vision there was a committee of Cabinet officers. I have not con¬ 
ferred with my colleagues who served on the Jamestown Exposition, 
but I venture to suggest that another method than that would be 
more effective. The truth is that a committee of Cabinet officers is 
not a very good working committee, because each Cabinet officer has 
so much to do with his own Department that it is difficult to get the 
three of them together except at Cabinet meetings, and then we have 
enough to attend to without looking into outside business such as 
this. It seems to me that it is a great deal better to create a com- 
'mittee of subordinates in the Departments, such as they have had 
in other cases, and allow those subordinates to appoint a committee 
and carry on the exposition in that way. You can be very certain 
that the heads of bureaus or the chief clerks of Departments will give 
a great deal more attention to a matter of this kind than Cabinet offi¬ 
cers. It is human nature, and it is a fact that the number of things 
that they have to attend to is such as not to make their services very 
valuable for a purpose of this kind, that calls for very great activity 
and a great deal of attention. 

I sincerely hope that a bill will pass for this purpose, because I 
think it will have a great effect all over the Pacific. No one can have 
visited the coast on this side and the coast on the other side—Japan, 
China, and the Philippines—without realizing that there are critical 
times there in the matter of obtaining oriental trade and in the mat¬ 
ter of fixing the attention of the Orientals on this country, and nothing 


12 ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 

will bring to the attention of the Orientals so much the interest of this 
country in them and their interest in us for the purposes of trade as 
an exposition of this character. 

There is to be an exposition in Japan by the Japanese in 1912. 
They expect to make that one of the great expositions of the world, 
and I hope they will succeed. They are very anxious that we shall 
be prominent in the matter, and their invitation has been accepted, 
and I think that an exposition on this side will have an excellent 
effect with respect to that exposition, and that the two together 
would bring the countries of the two sides of the Pacific together 
in a way probably that could be brought about in no other way. 

I do not think that anybody can measure what they will do at 
Seattle. I had supposed that the spirit of Chicago and of Kansas 
City and of some of the other cities that are noted for their enterprise 
could not be exceeded, but I venture to say that there is no city in 
the world that has an energy equal to that which you will find in 
Seattle. They have a lot of hills there that are as bleak and uncom¬ 
promising as possible in appearance, but they tell you that a ten- 
story building is to be put up where you see that mountain, and 
if you go there in the next six months the mountain has disappeared 
and there is a ten-story building there. It is a condition that makes 
one glad to be an American, and glad to know that the mixing of 
the Pacific air with the energy that comes from the East produces 
such a result. 

Speaking for the War Department, I will say that we are in the 
exposition business now. We have a Government exhibit that we can 
really almost put on wagons and transport from one place to another. 

I can not speak of the economy with which it can be done with as 
much accuracy as can the chief clerk of our Department, but I think 
that no one who visited the Jamestown Exposition will deny that 
the Government exposition at that place was the best that we have 
had, and we can reproduce that without very much difficulty and 
without very great expense. I should say with respect to the Philip¬ 
pines that it is not so easy, because the exhibit of the Philippines was 
disbanded largely, but we can get a good part of it together, and per¬ 
haps we can do something in the way of a contribution from the 
Philippines shortly, but not nearly so large as we made in St. Louis. 

Mr. Miller. In view of our experience at the Jamestown Exposi¬ 
tion, do you think the people generally of this country would approve 
of an appropriation of a million and a half dollars for an enterprise of • 
this kind ? 

Secretary Taft. I do not think they would for anything in the East, 
but I do think it is more important for us to have expositions in the 
West than in the East. I think the bearing of such an exposition on 
our oriental trade is very direct. Of course I am looking at the 
matter from a standpoint of a person perhaps unduly interested in the 
oriental trade, but I am sure that that will be a very substantial con¬ 
tribution to our progress in that direction. My own judgment is that 
the next fifty years will see the greatest development in the history of 
the world on the Pacific, and it seems to me that anything we can do 
to take part in it we ought to do. 

The Chairman. Of course, Mr. Secretary, I suppose that if we do 
not stop it now we never shall. 


13 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 

Secretary Taft. You have got to the Pacific limit; you can not go 
any farther. 

Mr. Maynard. They never will stop. Expositions have come to 
stay. 

Secretary Taft. There is only one suggestion I would make to the 
committee, and that is that you do not go into the nomenclature of 
the mountains in your bill. [Laughter.] 

Mr. Humphrey. Mr. Chairman, I have the pleasure of introducing 
to the committee Plon. John IT. McGraw, who is ex-governor of our 
State and at present president of the Chamber of Commerce of the 
city of Seattle. He is the vice-president of the exposition. 

STATEMENT OF JOHN H. McGRAW, VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE EXPO¬ 
SITION COMPANY OF SEATTLE, WASH., AND PRESIDENT OF 

THE SEATTLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. 

Mr. McGraw. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, as you have already 
been told by one of our Members of Congress, we are not here asking 
for a direct appropriation or for a loan. We shall not do so at any 
time. We are simply asking you for Government participation and 
for small appropriations for Alaska, Hawaii, and the Philippines. If 
you give us what we are asking, and we think you will, I promise now 
that at the appointed time we will hold out there an exposition which 
will excite the wonder and challenge the admiration of the world. 
Ordinarily I understand that in coming before committees to ask for 
appropriations it has been the custom to ask for a sum in excess of 
that which is really expected. We have thought it unwise to adopt 
that course, gentlemen. We are simply asking for the money that 
we are advised wall be necessary to make creditable exhibits there. 

The bill before you provides for national exhibits and for exhibits 
from the western dependencies of the Federal Government at the 
Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, to be held at Seattle, Wash., from 
June 1 to October 15, 1909. It was carefully prepared during the 
early fall, of 1907, at a time when business conditions throughout the 
country were normal and the appropriations desired, amounting all 
told to $1,175,000, w T ere fixed at amounts which we thought at the 
time w^ere commensurate with the General Government’s interest in 
the plan and scope of our exposition and in the purposes which we 
seek to accomplish through the medium of the exposition. Since 
then we have given the subject further examination and have con¬ 
sulted with persons who are familiar with the cost of Government 
participation at expositions, and find that w r e can reduce by $475,000 
the total amount which we are asking the Congress to appropriate 
for the several purposes set forth in the bill and still not impair the 
quality of the participation invited from the Government in its own 
behalf and in behalf of Alaska, Hawaii, and the Philippine Islands. 
Our new estimate of the amount necessary is $700,000, apportioned 
in the following manner: 

For the Government exhibit, including a special fisheries exhibit, 
and for all purposes of collection, transportation, installation, main¬ 
tenance, and return, $250,000 as compared with $350,000 in the bill 
now before you. 

For the Alaska exhibit, $100,000, as compared with $200,000 in the 
bill now before you. 


14 ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 

The Chairman. Excuse me. Take that first item of $250,000. On 
what page is that? 

Mr. McGraw. It is on page 7 of the bill. 

The Chairman. What does the bill provide? 

Mr. Nelson. Shall not exceed the sum of $350,000. 

The Chairman. And now you ask for $250,000? 

Mr. McGraw. Yes sir; for the Alaska Exhibit $100,000 instead 
of $200,000. That is on line 19, page 7 of the bill. 

For the Hawaiian exhibit, $25,000, as compared with $75,000 in the 
bill now before you. 

For the Philippine Islands exhibit, $25,000, as compared with 
$75,000 in the bill now before you. That is on page 8, line 17, of the 
bill. 

The total amount for exhibits is $400,000, as compared with 
$700,000 in the bill now before you, a reduction of $300,000. For 
these exhibits necessary buildings are provided, and the cost of these 
buildings, including the preparation of ground for them and the 
approaches thereto and the interior and exterior decorative wiring, 
is limited to $300,000, as compared with an estimate of $400,000 in 
the bill now before you. * . 

The Chairman. That is on page 8, lines 9 and 10. 

Mr. McGraw. Yes, sir. We are not asking, as I have already said, 
for Government participation by appropriation, nor will we at any 
time ask from it any loan of funds from the Treasury or any direct 
aid in the form of an appropriation or otherwise for the benefit of the 
exposition or any of its purposes. On that point, gentlemen, I have 
a certified copy of a resolution adopted by our executive committee 
by unanimous vote pledging ourselves not to ask for any money at 
this or any future time. 

Mr. Maynard. What do you mean by Government participation? 

Mr. McGraw. I will simply quote the resolution- 

Mr. Maynard. What do you mean by Government participation? 

Mr. McGraw. We mean a direct appropriation. 

Mr. Maynard. I take it that a Government exhibit is Government 
participation. 

Mr. McGraw. Yes, sir; I have already said that, I believe. 

The Chairman. You have accounted for $700,000 that you are 
going to ask for. Have you got through with the total you are going 
to ask for? 

Mr. McGraw. I beg pardon; I did not understand you. 

The Chairman. I say you have specified now $700,000 that you 
are going to ask for. Is that all you are going to ask for? 

Mr. McGraw. That is all, Mr. Chairman. 

The Chairman. Seven hundred thousand dollars? 

Mr. McGraw. Seven hundred thousand dollars. 

The Chairman. And how much did this bill carry as it was 
origin all v ? 

Mr. McGraw. One million one hundred and seventy-five thousand 
dollars. We think you should give us the sum we are asking for if 
you give us any. 

Mr. Miller. You are absolutely certain that this $700,000 is going 
to be sufficient, are you? 

Mr. McGraw. We are so advised. On consultation with gentle¬ 
men in the various Departments here, who know about what the cost 



15 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 

of Government participation has been in the past, we are assured by 
those gentlemen that very creditable exhibits can be made for the 
sum we are asking for. I quote the resolutions: 

Be it remembered , That at a regular meeting of the executive committee of Alaska- 
Yukon-Pacific Exposition, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws 
of the State of Washington, held in the city of Seattle, in said State, on Monday, 
October 21, 1907, a quorum being present for the transaction of business, Mr. J. E. 
Chilberg, president of said corporation, presiding over the deliberations of the meeting 
as the chairman thereof, the following resolution was adopted, the executive committee 
being empowered to adopt the same in the name of said corporation in accordance 
with its authority under the by-laws of the corporation: 

Whereas a bill entitled “A bill to encourage the holding of an Alaska-Yukon-Pacific 
Exposition at the city of Seattle, State of Washington, in the year 1909” will be intro¬ 
duced in the Senate of the Sixtieth United States Congress by Senator S. H. Piles and 
in the House of Representatives by Representative W. E. Humphrey; 

Whereas said bill provides for appropriations amounting in the aggregate to $1,175,- 
000 for the buildings and exhibits of the United States Government, Alaska, Hawaii, 
and the Philippine Islands, and for a special building for fisheries; 

Whereas section 11 of said bill reads as follows: “That the United States shall not in 
any manner or under any circumstances make any loan, directly or indirectly, to the 
Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition or for the benefit of said exposition or for any of the 
purposes thereof and shall not appropriate for any purpose whatsoever in connection 
with said exposition any sum of money other than that provided in this act, the man¬ 
agement of said exposition having expressly declared that it will not ask or accept 
from the United States any loan of funds for any of the purposes of said exposition and 
that it will not ask or accept from the United States at this or any future session of 
Congress any appropriation whatsoever in connection with said exposition other than 
that appropriated by the provisions of this act:” Therefore, be it 

Resolved , That the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition will not ask or accept from 
the United States Government any loan of funds for the benefit of the exposition or 
for any of the purposes thereof, and that it will not ask or accept from the United 
States" at the session of the Sixtieth Congress or of any future Congress, any appropria¬ 
tion whatsoever in connection with the exposition other than that which may be made 
by the provision of the bill above referred to when enacted into law. 

I, W. M. Sheffield, hereby certify that I am the duly elected, qualified secretary of 
the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, the corporation above named, and that the fore¬ 
going is a full, true, and correct copy of a certain resolution adopted by the executive 
committee of said corporation on October 21, 1907, and of the whole thereof as the same 
appears in my office and in my custody. 

Witness my hand and the seal of said corporation this 29th day of October, 1907. 

W. M. Sheffield 

Secretary Alaska- Yukon-Pacific Exposition. 

% 

On that we stand; and if more money shall become necessar}q I 
pledge you that the city of Seattle, with the neighboring cities, will 
take care of every dollar that may be required. 

The Chairman" I did not quite follow that resolution. Do you 
shut the door against your asking a loan of money ? 

Mr. McGraw. Yes, sir 

Mr. Miller. That is covered by section 11 of the bill. 

Mr. Goldfogle. Has any money been paid into the Treasury ? 

Mr. McGraw. I will come to that later. Yes, sir; a good deal of 
capital has been paid in, and we are paying more when called on to 
do so. 

The bill before you was submitted to and approved by our execu¬ 
tive committee, and the resolution from which I have just quoted 
was adopted for the purpose of placing us on record in regard to the 
declination of a loan or other direct aid and ol satisfying the com¬ 
mittee it was with our consent that the eleventh section was made 
part of the bill. It is true that we have declined something that has 
not been offered to us, but the resolution definitely defines our posi- 


16 ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 

tion and emphasizes what I said at the beginning of my remarks— 
that we are not asking from the Congress any direct aid in any form 
for any of the purposes of the exposition. We ask of you only that 
provision be made for the exhibits of the Government and of our 
western dependencies and the necessary buildings, and once this • is 
done we will not come back to you under any circumstances for more 
money. Should additional funds be required for any purpose in con¬ 
nection with the exposition, the city of Seattle is amply able and 
willing to provide them and will provide them. 

The Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition had its inception in a sug¬ 
gestion made by a gentleman who was traveling in Alaska in the 
early summer of 1905. Noting the immense resources of Alaska 
and the advantages that would accrue to the country at large if 
the people were made acquainted with them and induced to develop 
them, he proposed an Alaska exposition to be held at Seattle in 
the year 1907, in celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the pur¬ 
chase of Alaska by the United States. The subject was investigated 
by a committee of Seattle business men, who, after careful delibera¬ 
tion, decided that the project in its original form did not quite 
possess the scope that would commend it to the country at large. 
By degrees other aspects were added, and after a year’s consideration 
the project developed into what is now known as the Alaska-Yukon- 
Pacific Exposition, the primary purpose of which is to exploit the 
resources and potentialities of the Alaska and Yukon territories in 
the United States and the Dominion of Canada, and to make known 
and foster the vast importance of the trade of the Pacific Ocean 
and of the countries bordering upon it. In addition, it will demon¬ 
strate the progress of western America. It is reliably estimated 
that 7,500,000 people live in the section of country in the United 
States and Canada within a radius of 1,000 miles of Seattle who are 
directly interested in making the exposition the exponent of their 
material wealth and* development. 

The controlling corporation, in charge of the creation, manage¬ 
ment, and operation of the exposition, was incorporated with $500,000 
capital under the laws of Washington in the month of May, 1906, and 
is known officially as Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. It was 
determined to sell the entire issue of stock in one business day and 
the 2d of October, 1906, was fixed as the time for this sale. The 
canvass for subscriptions was made on the appointed day, and when 
all the committees had reported to headquarters that night it was 
found that the total of the stock sold was $654,000, or $154,000 more 
than the authorized capital stock. Each and every subscription was 
checked with care and we rejected every subscription that was doubt¬ 
ful, or based upon conditions that we could not accept or would not 
perform, or were otherwise defective, with the result that the sub¬ 
scribed capital stock at the present time, as shown on the books of the 
corporation, is $625,350. In the month of February, 1907, our capital 
stock was increased, by supplementary articles of incorporation, 
regularly filed, to $800,000, but no effort has been made to sell the 
increase because of the irregular financial conditions which prevailed 
throughout 1907, and which affected the Pacific coast as well as other 
sections of the country. 

Mr. Goldfogle. How much of the stock has been paid for? 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 17 

Mr. McGraw. On the subscription 25 per cent was paid, and the 
conditions of the subscription were that 25 per cent additional should 
be paid every six months. Those subscriptions are being paid as 
called for; there are very few delinquencies. We have a statement 
as to that which will be submitted by another gentleman. 

1 he Chairman. 5 ou have here with you a blank subscription 
which shows the condition under which those calls must be made, 
have you? 

Mr. McGraw. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Is it all common stock, or have you two kinds of 
stock in this $625,000? 

Mr. McGraw. No, sir; there is but one kind of stock. 

The Chairman. And on the $625,000 they have made their first 
payment of 25 per cent, have they? 

Mr. McGraw. Yes, sir; I can assure the committee that the 
increased stock will be sold prior to the opening of the exposition, 
so that the money, if needed, may be available for construction and 
other pre-exposition purposes. However, permit me to impress upon 
the committee that; when the financial affairs of the country began 
to be disturbed we adopted the policy of basing our expenditures 
primarily upon the amount of money we would receive from stock 
subscriptions. We allow for a probable default of about 5 per cent, 
which we consider conservative, and on this basis stock subscriptions 
aggregating $625,350 will produce approximately $600,000. The 
exposition receipts from admissions, advance payments on conces¬ 
sions, interest earnings on bank deposits- and other sources will give 
us additional revenue, the whole amount to be derived being equal 
to our estimate of expenditures. 

The Chairman. In whom is the title to the land upon which the 
exposition is to be held? 

Mr. McGraw. The State of Washington. 

The Chairman. Just how does the exposition get the right to 
exhibit there, by lease? 

Mr. McGraw. By lease from the regents of the State University, 
a lease regularly executed, which gives us all the privileges that we 
require, both during the exposition period and the time when we 
may be called upon to dismantle all the buildings and take them away. 
That has all been provided for. As a matter of fact the gentlemen 
who compose the board of trustees of the exposition, and particularly 
the gentlemen composing the executive committee, are among the 
foremost business men of our city, or of our State, and they are giving 
just the same careful personal attention to the work, and perhaps 
more, than they would give to their own private affairs. 

Mr. Cushman. While you are on that subject, please state, as 
briefly as you can, something about the character and amount of 
work that has already been done in the preparation of the ground. 

Mr. McGraw. Gentlemen of the committee, Mr. Reed, who has 
been with us from the inception of the work, and who is at the head 
of the division of exploitation, and is familiar with every part of the 
work, is posted as to these facts and will submit them to you. He 
can do it more readily than I. 

The Chairman. Who is in charge of the financial end of the enter¬ 
prise out there, bankers? 

27822—08-2 



18 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


Mr. McGraw. The executive committee. 

The Chairman. I mean who is going to appear before this com¬ 
mittee to-day who can say that they expect so much for concessions 
and so much for admissions before the gates are opened, and who 
they propose to get the money from? 

Mr. McGraw. I can state it, and Mr. Reed can state it. I can give 
it to you from the statement I have here. 

The Chairman. You have an estimate of your receipts and expend¬ 
itures? 

Mr. McGraw. Yes, sir. The State of Washington is cooperating 
to mate the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition a success in the same 
manner that the State of Oregon cooperated to make the Lewis and 
Clark Centennial Exposition successful, and you gentlemen know 
that that was a very great success. As has been told you, our State 
has appropriated a million dollars and our counties have all been au¬ 
thorized by law to raise a revenue by taxation for the purpose of the 
exhibits at the exposition. The county in which I live, and in which 
the city of Seattle is situated, will contribute, under that law, $78,000. 

The Chairman. It is your idea to have a bigger Alaskan exhibit 
than the one we appropriated for at the Lewis and Clark Exposition. 
You remember we appropriated- 

Mr. McGraw. Yes, sir; it will be a larger one. We are spending 
more money on it. 

The Chairman. But it is of the same nature as the one we appro¬ 
priated for three years ago ? 

Mr. McGraw. Yes, sir. We think the value of the buildings and 
exhibits and all that would enter into the exposition when it shall be 
opened—and we are going to open it on time—will represent an 
expenditure of $10,000,000 in round numbers. You have been told 
about the site it is to occupy. In that connection I will say that for 
the purposes of its participation our State has appropriated $1,000,000, 
of which about $800,000 will be expended for buildings and improve¬ 
ments and the remainder for exhibits and administration. The 
buildings to be erected from the funds provided by the State will be 
of a permanent or semipermanent type, and will become the property 
of the State at the close of the exposition. The general run of expo¬ 
sition buildings, except those built by the State, will be of the usual 
temporary construction. In addition to what the State has done the 
various counties of Washington are creating funds for their participa¬ 
tion under a State law authorizing them to make a levy on their 
assessed valuation for the purpose. About $250,000 will be made 
available from this source for the general benefit of the exposition. 
King County, in which the city of Seattle is situated, has made a levy 
of $78,000. _ _ • 

The exposition, counting the value of buildings, improvements, and 
exhibits on exhibition, will represent an expenditure of approximately 
$10,000,000 when the gates are officially opened on June 1, 1909. 

It will occupy 250 acres of the campus of the University of Wash¬ 
ington, adjoining one of the many residence districts of Seattle, on 
the gentle slopes and terraces overlooking Puget Sound, Lake Wash¬ 
ington, and Lake Union. The lakes are natural fresh-water bodies, 
Washington having an area of 381 square miles, and Union an area of 
1J square miles. They are separated from Puget Sound by the land 
upon which Seattle stands, and will in time be connected with the 



ALASKA-YUKON-PACIEIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


19 


salt water by a ship canal, now under construction. The grounds are 
twenty minutes ride by electric car from the center of the city, and 
have been pronounced by competent authority as scenically the finest 
exposition site ever laid out. The Olympic and Cascade ranges of 
mountains are in plain view from all points of the grounds. Mount 
Rainier, the most famous peak of the Cascades, rises to a height of 
14,526 feet. 

Eleven exhibit buildings will form the nucleus of the exposition. 
Around these will cluster the State, Territorial, and concessions 
buildings, foreign pavilions, the administration group, and numerous 
smaller pseudo-exhibit structures. The main exhibit buildings will 
be: Fine arts, agriculture, manufactures, machinery, forestry, edu¬ 
cation, niines, transportation, and foreign. The forestry building 
will be in every way representative of the lumber industry of the 
Pacific Northwest and will be the most striking architectural creation 
ever seen at an exposition. The lumber and shingle mills of Oregon 
and Washington cut annually nearly 6,000,000,000 feet of lumber 
and manufacture over 7,000,000,000 shingles. 

The interest of the United States in the development of Pacific 
Ocean commerce is not second to that of any of the great powers, 
and the opportunities offered to American skill and energy in this 
field are without parallel. The trade of the United States with the 
countries bordering on the Pacific, including'Canada, is only 19 per 
cent of their total foreign commerce, whereas if it were vigorously 
promoted it might easily reach 50 per cent of the total. In reference 
to the trade of the Orient, the following quotation from The Com¬ 
mercial Orient in 1905, published by the Department of Commerce 
and Labor, is especially significant: 

Of the $1,000,000,000 worth of merchandise imported by that section of the Orient 
occupying a tropical or subtropical climate, a total of $650,000,000 is-drawn from 
Europe, and the total is steadily increasing, while but about $10,000,000 worth is 
drawn from the United States, with little, if any, increase. Yet practically all of this 
total of $650,000,000 worth is of a character which the United States can readily 
produce. 

Because of its direct relation to the trade of the Pacific, the United 
States is invited'to take part in this exposition. 

The foreign exhibits will be confined strictly to the products of 
the countries bordering upon the Pacific Ocean. In accordance 
with this policy exhibits have been invited from Australia, Canada, 
Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Formosa, Korea, 
French Fast Indies, German Colonies, Guatemala, Honduras, British 
India, Japan, Mexico, Dutch Fast Indies,,Nicaragua, New Zealand, 
Panama, Peru, Siam, and Salvador. According to the latest avail¬ 
able statistics furnished to the exposition by the United States 
Department of Commerce and Labor, these countries have an area 
of 17,096,060 square miles and a population of 904,353,000. Their 
imports aggregate SI,853,334,000 and their exports SI,893,642,000, 
making a total foreign trade of S3,746,976,000. These countries 
have an annual commerce of nearly S718,000,000 with the United 
States, of which S396,000,000 is represented by imports and 
S322,000,000 by exports. In addition to the foregoing, Great 
Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and the Netherlands will be 
invited to make exhibits representative of their interest in Pacific 
trade development. It will be the plan of the exposition, as far as 


20 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


practicable, to induce the foreign nations that participate to erect 
their own buildings and install therein collective and competitive 
exhibits. 

Alaska has an area of 586,400 square miles. Its northernmost 
and southernmost points are as far apart as the Mexican and Cana¬ 
dian boundary lines of the United States. Alaska, with its penin¬ 
sula, if placed on top of the United States, would stretch from 
Savannah, Ga., to San Francisco. It is in approximately the same 
latitude as the Scandinavian Peninsula. Dixon entrance is in the 
same latitude as Copenhagen. Mount St. Elias is on the same par¬ 
allel with Christiania and St. Petersburg. Point Barrow is no far¬ 
ther north than North Cape. Nome is 300 miles west of Honolulu. 
Alaska has 26,000 miles of coast line. The Yukon River is navigable 
for 2,500 miles; it carries as much water as the Mississippi and its 
delta is 90 miles wide. All that Alaska needs to make it a country of 
homes is transportation. There are millions of acres of land available 
for farming and stock raising, and there are those who predict that, 
with adequate railroad facilities, Alaska will support a large population, 
and that its people will compete in all the northern markets for the 
sale of hay, grain, produce, and live stock. There is no known mineral 
that may not be found in the Territory. Alaska does more business 
per capita than any other geographical division of the United States. 
In 1867 the United States paid Russia $7,200,000 for Alaska and 
since that time the Government’s receipts from Alaskan revenues 
have been about $11,000,000. The total amount of royalty derived 
from sealskins from 1870 to 1906 was $9,022,070 and the number of 
fur-seal skins produced on the Pribilof Islands during that period was 
2,275,966, of an estimated value of $56,899,175. The total value of all 
furs produced in Alaska from 1870 to 1906 was $80,348,762, and the 
value of the fish production from 1878 to 1905, inclusive, was 
$96,000,000. The gold output in thirty-five years has been over 
$100,000,000. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 1907, exports from 
Alaska were $39,075,736 and the imports were $20,379,646, a grand 
total of trade of $59,455,382, an increase of 25.9 per cent compared 
with the fiscal year ended June 30, 1906. Of Alaska’s total trade 
for the fiscal year 1907, all except $1,134,191 imports and $1,489,686 
exports was with the United States. 

British Columbia, Canada’s maritime province on the Pacific 
Ocean, has an area variously estimated to be from 372,630 to 395,610 
square miles. With the exception of nickel, which lias not yet been 
discovered in quantity, all resources that the other provinces of 
Canada possess are British Columbia’s in abundance. The coal 
areas are sufficient to supply the world for centuries. The mines 
have produced over $230,000,000 and may be said to be only in the 
early stages of development. Next to minerals the most valuable 
natural resource is timber, which covers 182,750,000 acres, and, 
apart from salmon fishing, its importance is only beginning to be 
realized. There are rich deposits of magnetite and hematite iron 
of the finest quality. The agricultural and fruit lands produce 
$4,000,000 a year, and less than one-tenth of the available land is 
settled upon, much less cultivated. Petroleum deposits, but re¬ 
cently discovered, are among the most extensive in the world, and 
much of the province is unexplored and its potential value unknown. 
With the exception of Holland, the trade of British Columbia is the 
largest in the world per head of population. 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 21 

Yukon, extending from British Columbia’s northern boundary to 
the Arctic Ocean, contains 196,970 square miles. It has produced 
over $150,000,000 of virgin gold to date, and mining engineers who 
have spent years in the country estimate that the Klondike is good 
for a further yield of from $125,000,000 to $225,000,000 of placer 
gold. The era of hydraulic and dredge work has begun and quartz 
mining is favorably regarded by many who are familiar with condi¬ 
tions in the north. Copper and coal offer excellent opportunities to 
capital. The average annual mean temperature of the Klondike is 
about 22°, and the mean of the three summer months about 57°. 
These temperatures, with much bright sunshine and an absence of 
frost during three months, together with the long days of a latitude 
within a few degrees of the Arctic Circle, amply account for the 
success achieved by market gardens near Dawson in growing a large 
variety of garden produce, and warrant the belief that the hardier 
cereals might possibly be a successful crop, both in parts of the 
Yukon Territory and the far northern districts of the Mackenzie 
basin. The present population of Yukon Territory is estimated at 
7,000. 

In the message at the beginning of the second session of the Forty- 
ninth Congress the President of the United States, referring to the 
needs of Alaska and the scope of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, 
said: 

Our fellow-citizens who dwell on the shores of Puget Sound with characteristic 
energy are arranging to hold in Seattle the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. Its 
special aims include the upbuilding of Alaska and the development of American com¬ 
merce on the Pacific Ocean. This exposition, in its purposes and scope, should appeal 
not only to the people of the Pacific slope, but to the people of the United States at 
large. Alaska, since it was bought, has yielded to the Government $11,000,000 of 
revenue and has produced nearly $300,000,000 in gold, furs, and fish. When properly 
developed it will become in large degree a land of homes. The countries bordering 
the Pacific Ocean have a population more numerous than that of all the countries of 
Europe; their annual foreign commerce amounts to over $3,000,000,000, of which the 
share of the United States is some $700,000,000. If this trade were thoroughly under¬ 
stood and‘pushed by our manufacturers and producers, the industries not only of the 
Pacific slope but of all our country, and particularly of our cotton-growing States, 
would be greatly benefited. Of course, in order to get these benefits we must treat 
fairly the countries with which we trade. 

In the message at the beginning of the Sixtieth Congress, the 
President said of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition: 

The courage and enterprise of the citizens of the far Northwest in their projected 
Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, to be held in 1909, should receive liberal encourage¬ 
ment. This exposition is not sentimental in its conception, but seeks to exploit the 
natural resources of Alaska and to promote the commerce, trade, and industry of the 
Pacific States with their neighboring States and with our insular possessions and the 
neighboring countries of the Pacific. The exposition asks no loan from the Congress, 
but seeks appropriations for national exhibits and exhibits of the western dependencies 
of the General Government. The State of Washington and the city of Seattle have 
shown the characteristic western enterprise in large donations for the conduct of this 
exposition, in which other States are lending generous assistance. 

This, gentlemen, is an interesting statement, I think, with regard 
to Alaska. It is a most interesting country. I know something 
about it. In 1897 I went there and remained two years, literally 
wielding a pick and shovel, prospecting there the sanle as any ordinary 
miner. Since that time I have visited the district five separate 
times, and when I returned to Seattle, after having spent two years 
there, I said one day in our chamber of commerce that I had always 


22 ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 

m 

believed in the manifest destiny of our State and in the manifest des¬ 
tiny of Puget Sound, “but,” I said to them, “you might build about 
this city now a Chinese wall shutting off from her every other re¬ 
source that she has, leaving her only the open highway by sea to 
Alaska, and the wealth that is there, that she by reason of her geo¬ 
graphical position will control, would still leave enough to build up 
and maintain always one of the greatest commercial cities of the 
world.” At that time I think my fellow-citizens were somewhat 
surprised and thought I was unduly excited with regard to Alaska, 
but I pledge you my word, gentlemen, that since then every thought¬ 
ful person who has studied Alaska and Alaskan resources is convinced 
of the entire truthfulness of what 1 then said. 

You gentlemen ought to give, from the eleven millions that have 
been directly paid into the Treasury of the United States, the almost 
beggarly sum that we are here asking you to give for the purposes of 
this exhibit, namely, $1,100,000. I think, gentlemen, you will do it. 
I think the justice of the cause must challenge your admiration and 
liberality. 

Mr. Jones. In that connection you might suggest that there is no 
legislative body in Alaska that could make any appropriation whatever. 

Mr. McGraw. I think that has been made plain by Mr. Humphrey 
as well as the distinguished Secretary of War, who has addressed 
you. British Columbia and the other territory are as deeply inter¬ 
ested in this project as are we. There are Englishmen just across 
the way, and they have magnificent resources, and in friendly contest 
they are coming down there to vie with us. I am firmly convinced, 
gentlemen, that this country, our country, can not afford to be indif¬ 
ferent to this exposition. 

In conclusion, gentlemen of the committee, I desire to impress upon 
you the importance of this exposition to our common country. It 
is a commercial exposition, and not a sentimental one, and the bene¬ 
fits to accrue from it will be direct and enduring. The objects which 
we seek to accomplish are so large and so broad that the General 
Government can not, in justice to itself, withhold its participation. 
We confidently expect large numbers of people from east of the 
Mississippi to come to the Pacific west during the year 1909, and 
their visit to us will give them a new and stronger idea of the magni¬ 
tude of the nation. Those of our fellow-citizens who have never 
seen the country west of the Mississippi River, and particularly the 
region west of the Rocky Mountains, have never been out of doors 
in their own country. 

Gentlemen of the committee, I have given you a general account of 
the origin, development, and plan, and scope of the Alaska-Yukon- 
Pacific Exposition. Other aspects of the subject will be brought to 
your notice by other speakers. I thank you for the hearing you 
you have given me. 

STATEMENT OF HENRY E. REED, OF SEATTLE, WASH. 

The Chairman. Mr. Reed, what is your relation to this proposed 
exposition ? 

Mr. Reed. I am director of exploitation. 

The Chairman. You also, I believe, have some familiarity with 
the subject of the finances, or was the gentleman who just spoke solely 
prepared to answer as to the finances ? 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 23 

Mr. Reed. I have a statement here, Mr. Chairman, bearing upon 
that subject. 

The Chairman. I mean to say when it comes to questioning upon 
that subject would you rather answer than your predecessor ? 

Mr. Reed. Any way would be acceptable to me. 

Mr. McGraw. I think Mr. Reed can answer the questions more 
readily than I, and I prefer that he should answer them. 

The Chairman. Mr. Reed is the gentleman whom you referred to 
as being prepared upon that subject, is he? 

Mr. McGraw. Yes, sir. 

Mr. Humphrey. Mr. Chairman, there are some gentlemen here who 
expect to address the committee, and they would like to know how 
long the committee will be in session. 

The Chairman. As far as I am concerned, I do not know what is 
going on in the House, but unless we are called up there to take part 
in division, I am perfectly willing to remain as long as may be desired. 

Mr. Reed. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, to me 
has been assigned the duty of laying before you data concerning the 
organization of the exposition, together with a brief review of progress 
to date. I shall begin by informing you of what has been done in 
the way of securing funds by the safe of capital stock. In an expo¬ 
sition of the character and scope of the one which it is proposed to 
hold at Seattle next year, the money derived from stock subscrip¬ 
tions is necessarily the basis of all financial calculations in the con¬ 
struction or preexposition period, and it is well that you should be 
informed respecting the capital stock account. Our first vice-presi¬ 
dent, Hon. John H. McGraw, has told you that the authorized capital 
as fixed in the original articles of incorporation, was $500,000, and 
that it was subsequently increased to $800,000 A few additional 
details will fully cover the subject. 

Our stock is all common stock. All subscriptions are payable in 
money and in full not later than April 2, 1908. All subscriptions 
were irrevocable from the time of their acceptance by the exposition 
company. On January 1 of this year the stock books contained the 
names of 3,668 stockholders, holding 62,535 shares, of the total par 
value of $625,350. There are 140 stockholders who have made sub¬ 
scriptions ranging from $1,000 to $25,000, and 3,528 stockholders 
who have made subscriptions ranging from $10 to $750. The detail 
of the subscriptions is shown in the following statement which has 
been compiled from the stock books: 


Number of subscrip¬ 
tions. 

Shares. 

Total 
number 
of shares. 

Par 

value. 

Number of subscrip¬ 
tions. 

Shares. 

Total 
number 
of shares. 

Par 

value. 


2. 500 

1.500 

7.500 

1.500 

$75,000 
15,000 
40,000 

6,000 
80,000 
4,000 
15, 000 

2. 

60 

120 

$1,200 

1 

126. 

50 

6,300 

63,000 

4 

1 000 

4,000 
600 

15. 

40 

600 

6,000 

1 

600 

24. 

30 

720 

7,200 

Iff 

500 

400 

3,000 

85..*■ 

25 

2,125 

21,250 


’ 400 

136. 

20 

2,720 

27,200 


300 

1, 500 

15. 

15 

225 

2,250 

14 

250 

3', 500 
2,800 
900 

35,000 
28,000 

521. 

10 

5,210 

52,100 

14 

200 

2,595. 

1 to 10 

5,640 

56,400 

6 . 

150 

9,000 

Total (3,668). 


62,535 

625,350 

75 

100 

7,500 

75,000 

6,750 


9 . 

75 

675 





t 





















































24 ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 

The subscriptions are payable in four equal installments of 25 per 
cent each, and at the times designated in the contract, to wit, October 
2, 1906; April 2, 1907; October 2, 1907; and April 2, 1908. On 
January 1 of this year there was due and payable 75 per cent of the 
subscriptions, or $469,012.50, and there had actually been paid in 
$411,980, or 87.8 per cent. 

Mr. Le Gake. Four hundred and eleven thousand dollars has actu¬ 
ally been paid in? 

Mr. Reed. Four hundred and eleven thousand nine hundred and 
eighty dollars has actually been paid in. The financial disturbance 
was affecting the country at large at the time the third assessment 
was in process of collection, otherwise the percentage of payments 
would have been larger. As Governor McGraw has informed you, 
the stock subscriptions have been carefully checked and it is not 
likely that the loss on account of nonpayments will exceed 5 per cent. 
Indeed, it may go as low as 3 per cent, but for conservatism we are 
placing our estimate at 5 per cent. 

Immediately after the exposition company had been incorporated, 
and before the capital stock had been sold, a working fund of $5,000 
was provided by a loan negotiated with one of the Seattle banks, and 
the exploitation work was put under way. As a preliminary step, 
President Chilberg and Director-General Nadeau visited Alaska and 
the Yukon Territory in the months of July, August, and September 
of 1907, going by way of Wrangell, Juneau, Skagway, Dawson, and 
the Yukon River, and returning to Seattle by steamer from Nome. 
They were cordially received at every point they visited, and when they 
returned to Seattle they reported that the sentiment of the people of 
Alaska and the Yukon was practically unanimous in favor of hold¬ 
ing the exposition. The general results of exploitation to date may 
be briefly summarized as follows, without going into unnecessary 
details: Publicity has been given to the exposition not only in the 
United States but in the principal foreign nations, mainly with a view 
to stimulating that interest in our plan and scope as will result in 
national and State participation and the securing of exhibits. Ex¬ 
ploitation in the interest of admissions will not begin, of course, until 
a later date. Commissioners have visited Great Britain, France, Ger¬ 
many, Holland, Russia, China, Japan, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Aus¬ 
tria, Canada, and the Central and South American States, and have 
received assurances from prominent manufacturers, exporters, and 
commercial associations that the interest of those countries in the 
aims and purposes of the exposition is sufficient to justify the making 
of representative exhibits. 

Mr. Goldfogle. What is the total in the treasury?’ 

Mr. Reed. In actual money paid? 

Mr. Goldfogle. Yes. 

Mr. Reed. The total amount paid in to January 1 was $411,980— 
that is, from the exposition company’s own funds. Over 200 cham¬ 
bers of commerce, boards of trade, commercial clubs and other 
like organizations in the United States proper, British Columbia, 
Yukon Territory, and Alaska have officially indorsed the exposi¬ 
tion by resolution adopted by authority. Appropriations for 
State participation have been made by legislative assemblies t as 
follows, the amount, in the majority of cases, being the initial one: 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


25 


Washington.. 

Oregon. 

California.... 
Pennsylvania 
Nebraska .... 

Missouri. 

Utah. 


$ 1 , 000 , 000 
100, 000 
100, 000 
75, 000 
15, 000 
10, 000 
2, 000 


Total 


1, 302, 000 


In Pennsylvania and Nebraska the hills were vetoed for the reason 
that the total appropriations made by the recent legislative sessions 
exceeded the total revenue from all sources. 

The participation of a number of Eastern States is confidently 
expected, as is also the participation of such Western States as Idaho, 
Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, and Nevada. A number of States, 
which show a disposition to participate, advance as a reason for delay¬ 
ing action that if they make an appropriation at the legislative ses¬ 
sions of 1909, they will have ample time to be ready before the exposi¬ 
tion. They set forth that ordinary climatic conditions in the Pacific 
Northwest are such that building work may be carried on the year 
round, and point to the fact that at the Lewis and Clark Centennial 
Exposition held at Portland, Oreg., in 1905, but one State building, 
the Oregon Building, was under construction as early as February 1, 
1905, and still all the State buildings were complete when the exposi¬ 
tion opened on June 1. 

Our system of management is as follows: There is a board of 
trustees of 50 members, who are elected annually by the stockholders, 
and who are required by the bv-l/iws to hold stated meetings once 
a month. There is an executive committee with plenary power , 
which meets regularly once a week, and exercises general supervision 
and control over all the operations of the exposition. The chief 
executive officer is the president. He receives no salary, nor does 
any member of the executive committee, nor does the treasurer. 
The principal administrative officer is the director-general, and 
reporting to him are the four executive divisions of the exposition, 
to wit: The divisions of exploitation, works, exhibits, and conces- 
sions-admissions, each presided over by a director. The general 
plan of organization conforms to that adopted by the St. Louis and 
Portland expositions. All work is initiated by the directors of 
divisions above mentioned, in conjunction with the proper sub¬ 
committees of the board of trustees, and carried out, subject to the 
supervision of the executive committee. The total monthly salary 
roll for administration—that pertaining to the offices of the director- 
general and the directors of the executive divisions, the secretary, 
and the general counsel—aggregates at the present time $2,100 per 
month. This does not include the salaries of the subordinate office 
employees and field forces, whose numbers are limited to actual 
necessities. In the division of exploitation at the present time there 
are eleven persons at work and the total monthly expenditure 
for salaries, including the salary of the director of the division, is 

only $1,525- 

The Chairman. Per month? 

Mr. Keed. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. In the division of exploitation? 












26 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


Mr. Reed. Yes, sir; and this though the opening of the exposition 
is but a little over sixteen months off. Similar economy is practiced 
in all the other divisions and departments. 

The Chairman. What is your total salary roll a month? 

Mr. Reed. I will have to get that information for you. 

The Chairman. Well, give us a guess—four or five thousand dollars 
or more. I merely want it for comparison with Jamestown. I do 
not mean the labor, but your office expenses and for people who 
travel around to the various States. 

Mr. Reed. I can get that information and give it to you. 

The Chairman. Within one thousand dollars? I simply wanted 
to compare it with Jamestown. 

Mr. Reed. Governor McGraw thinks between $3,600 and $4,000 a 
month. 

The Chairman. And that will increase from now on until the time 
of the exposition, I suppose? 

Mr. Reed. It will naturally increase—yes, sir. The president has 
a secretary, who acts also as his stenographer. The director-general 
is carrying on the work of his office with but one stenographer and 
the director of exhibits has but one stenographer. The treasurer has 
one clerk and a stenographer, the secretary two clerks and a stenog¬ 
rapher, and the general counsel is without office help. The director 
of works has an office and field force. The greater portion of his 
work, including the architecture, is done by contract, thus making 
unnecessary the employment and supervision of a large force of 
laborers, and heavy investment in tools, machinery, and other equip¬ 
ment. The division of concessions and admissions has not yet been 
organized, so no expense of any kind has been incurred on its account. 

Since I compiled this, Mr. Chairman, I received a letter from 
Seattle, stating that a director of the division was appointed the 
other day, but the salary and expense account there is very small. 
I have mentioned these details to satisfy the committee that the 
matter of expenditure of money is carefully guarded by all officers of 
the exposition and receives also the supervision of the executive 
committee as a court of last resort. 

Continuing my remarks in regard to organization, will say that 
the division of exploitation was created on August 13, 1906. Its 
work I have briefly reviewed. The division of works was organized 
January 1, 1907, in charge of Mr. Frank P. Allen, an architect and 
constructor, as director. The grounds were laid out by John C. 
Olmsted, of Brookline, Mass., and the architectural work is in charge 
of Howard & Galloway, of San Francisco, Cal. The division of 
works is working to an estimate of $1,496,722.10, distributed as 
• shown below, the money being made available by the exposition 
company, the State of Washington, and the county of King. 

Grounds. 


Clearing. $14,875.00 

Grading. 105, 000. 00 

Water system. 26, 550. 00 

Sewer system. 34, 825. 00 

Roads and walks. 64, 022.10 

Power lines.;.! *' 10^ 000. 00 

Street lights. 14 , 000. 00 

Bridges. 8,500.00 










ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 27 


Railway sidings. 

Basin and cascades. 

Landscape work..;.: 

Tools.. 

Contingency allowance. 


$15, 000.00 
17, 000. 00 
52, 500. 00 
5, 000. 00 
35,000.00 


Total 


402, 272.10 


Buildings. 


Auditorium... 210,000.00 

Fine arts. 157,500.00 

Agriculture. 81,000.00 

Manufacturers. an one no 

Machinery...80’ 000‘. 00 

Forestry.. . 75,000.00 

Educational. 40,000.00 

Powerhouse. 40,000.00 

Mmes . 37,500.00 

Foreign. 37,500.00 

Transportation. 37 , 500 . 00 

Administration. 25,000.00 

Electric tower. 20, 000. 00 

Statuary. 10 ’ 000. 00 

Fire station. 8,000.00 

Entrance. 8,000.00 

Service buildings. 7 , 000. 00 

Settees. e’ 000. 00 

Hospital. 5,450.00 

Band stands... 4 , 000. 00 


Total. 969,450.00 


Total. 1,371,722.10 

Engineering, supervision and architects’ fees.. 125, 000. 00 


Grand total. 1, 496, 722.10 


The division of exhibits was organized January 1, 1908, in charge of 
Col. Henry E. Dosch as director. Colonel Dosch has had extensive ex¬ 
perience as an executive commissioner at the New Orleans, Chicago, 
Omaha, Buffalo, Charleston, and St. Louis expositions, and was di¬ 
rector of exhibits at the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition. He 
is a man of knowledge and capability and may be depended upon to so 
conduct his office that the offering of exhibits will not overwhelm the 
exposition with expense. He gives preference to exhibits exemplify¬ 
ing life, color, demonstration, and motion and, wherever practicable, 
encourages States making collective exhibits to install them in their 
own buildings, at the same time permitting them to compete for 
awards. This plan has been received with favor by participating 
States and by foreigners, and is acceptable to the exposition com¬ 
pany in that it saves large amounts in cost of construction. 

The Chairman. What expositions has the Government done that 
for ? 

Mr. Heed. Made loans from the Treasury for aid? The ones I 
remember in which the Government has granted aid or made loans 
are Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis, New Orleans, and Jamestown. 

The Chairman. Made loans or paid the bills afterwards? 

Mr. Reed. Yes, sir; and Buffalo also. We can not reasonably ex¬ 
pect the participation of the United States in our exposition unless we 
can show to the satisfaction of this committee that we have available 
and at our command money sufficient to construct the exposition and 







































28 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


open it complete and as a solvent concern on the 1st day of June, 1909. 
We do not belong to the class of expositions for which the Govern¬ 
ment stands sponsor, to which it invites all nations, and to which it 
grants appropriations or makes loans from the Treasury. We have 
no wish to be in this class for the reason that the exposition would be 
expanded to such a scope that we should be overwhelmed with con¬ 
struction cost, and in the exposition period the operating cost would 
be so great that we could not possibly hope to meet and pay it with 
the revenues arising from our operations. When the Government 
stands sponsor for an exposition and invites all nations to participate 
the acceptances generally overwhelm the Government with quite a 
large amount for construction of their buildings, and then when the 
exposition is opened the operating force is very greatly increased, 
and that falls on the exposition company. Since we are not entitled 
to direct aid from the Government, and since, for the reasons stated, 
we would not want it even if we were entitled to it, it devolves upon us 
to construct, exploit, and open our exposition with our own funds and 
with money that is cooperating with us to the extent that it is availa¬ 
ble for our purposes in the preexposition period ending May 31, 1909. 
These funds are derived as follows: 

Resources: 

Net receipts from subscriptions to the capital stock on the basis of 


62,535 shares sold. $600, 000 

Interest on deposits. 10,000 


Mr. Legare. During what period is that? 

Mr. Reed. Up to the opening of the gates—up to the formal open¬ 
ing of the exposition. 

Mr. Legare. And charging admission? 

Mr. Reed. Yes, sir— 


Receipts from admissions in the preexposition period... $50, 000 

Receipts from sales of coupon admission tickets. 20, 000 

Receipts from advance payments account sales privileges and concessions. 75, 000 

Proportion of State of Washington appropriation available for buildings 

and improvements. 800, 000 

Appropriation of King County available for building. 78, 000 

Exposition revenues anticipated.. 150, 000 


Total. 1,783,000 


The above estimate is exclusive of States other than Washington, 
over whose expenditures the exposition has no control. 

The Chairman. Let me interrupt you. Do you say that $800,000 
of this million that the State has appropriated is available for the 
general purposes of your exposition? 

Mr. Reed. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And the other $200,000 is presumably for the 
State’s own exhibit? 

Mr. Reed. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. That is practically the same thing as trusting your 
treasurer with that $800,000, only some one else has the expenditure 
of it? 

Mr. Reed. It takes the place of a Government loan to the expo¬ 
sition; that is about the part it plays, although it is not payable; the 
vState gets nothing back from it. 











ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


29 


The State of Washington and its counties are inhibited by the 
.constitution from using their credit for the aid of any private corpo¬ 
ration, but they are not prohibited under the authority by which 
they are now acting from erecting buildings as exhibits and permit¬ 
ting them to be used for exhibits. This it is that they are propos¬ 
ing to do. The cooperation of the State of Washington along prac¬ 
tical lines will be a valuable asset to the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo¬ 
sition, as was the cooperation of the State of Oregon at the Lewis 
and Clark Exposition. At Portland the State of Oregon, out of a 
total of $400,000 available for its participation, exclusive of the value 
of the exhibit returned from St. Louis, expended for buildings the 
sum of $308,000. The exposition company at Seattle may safely 
anticipate its revenues to the extent of $150,000, as Omaha antici¬ 
pated its revenues by $200,000 and Portland by $180,000. Both of 
those expositions opened solvent and were at all times able to require 
the strictest observance of their regulations and to enforce payment 
of all debts due them. In the matter of anticipating revenues, it may 
be said that in the case of Portland the expenditures for grounds 
and buildings alone up to the opening day were $529,000, or $124,000 
more than the total receipts from stock subscriptions. As the 
Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition belongs substantially in the same 
class with the Omaha and Portland expositions, these comparative 
figures are deserving of consideration. 

As against financial resources amounting to $1,783,000 we have 
the following estimate of expenditures for the period ending Mav 31, 
1909: 


Liabilities: 

Buildings and grounds. $1, 496, 722.10 

Exploitation... 110,000.00 

All other administration. 175, 000. 00 


Total. 1,781,722.10 


With resources amounting to $1,783,000, we face liabilities amount¬ 
ing to $1,781,722.10. This latter total may be considerably decreased 
as to the item of buildings and grounds because of the cheaper cost 
of material now as compared with a few months ago. 

The Chairman. That is, it is going to cost you a million and three- 
quarters dollars to start the exposition a going; is that correct? 

Mr. Keed. Yes, sir; about $1,781,000. 

The Chairman. A million and three-quarters to start it going? 

Mr. Reed. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And you have toward that $800,000 from the 
State of Washington; is that correct ? 

Mr. Reed. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And you anticipate that you are going to have 
$600,000 from sales of stock? 

Mr. Reed. About $600,000; that is correct. 

The Chairman. That makes $1,400,000. Now, where is the other 
$350,000 to come from? 

Mr. Reed. The other items come in on interest on deposits, $10,000, 
and receipts from admissions in the preexposition period, $50,000. 
You see that the gates will be closed and admission will be charged 
up to the time of the opening; that produces a revenue. 







30 ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 

The Chairman. But there is a $300,000 gap between the vest and 
the pants, as it were. I want to understand how that is going to be 
filled ? 

Mr. Miller. I understood your governor to say that you had 
increased your capital stock? 

Mr. Reed. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. But you do not expect to get more than $300,000? 

Mr. McGraw. We do expect, and I so stated in my brief remarks, 
to sell all of it. We have made no attempt to canvass anywhere, 
except the one day’s subscribing, nor have we attempted to sell a dol¬ 
lar of stock since our capital stock was increased. 

Mr. Legare. All the capital stock that was increased was taken up 
in one day? 

Mr. McGraw. Yes, sir; and $150,000 in addition. 

Mr. Legare. Why are you delayed? 

Mr. McGraw. The financial condition is disturbing us, as is the 
case here, and we do not want to call on our people until we need it. 
When we do need it out there we go and get it. 

Mr. Reed. The exposition period will cover the time between June 
1 and October 15, a total of one hundred and thirty-seven operating 
days. The main source of revenue in this period is the receipts from 
admissions and concessions, and the basis of calculations is the num¬ 
ber of paid admissions. We have carefully canvassed the subject, 
and our estimate at the present time is that we shall have not less 
than 2,000,000 paid admissions. Each paid admission will be w r orth 
an average of 43.5 cents in admissions revenue and 17 cents in con¬ 
cessions revenue, a total of 60.5 cents. Therefore 2,000,000 paid 
admissions will yield $1,210,000 in revenue, less a probable loss of 
$50,000 on account of adjustments, rebates, nonpayments, etc., 
making the net revenue $1,160,000. This will be applied as follows: 


• 

To the reimbursement of the general fund for admission revenue of the 

exposition period used for preexposition purposes. $20, 000 

To the reimbursement of the general fund for concessions revenue of the 

exposition period used for preexposition purposes. 75, 000 

To the payment of accounts incurred by reason of exposition revenue 

anticipated. 150,000 

To the payment of the operating expenses of the exposition (June 1 to 

October 15, 1909), 137 days, at $5,000 per day. 685, 000 

To the payment of post-exposition expenses for demolition, closing up the 

affairs of the exposition, etc.. 75, 000 

Probable surplus when affairs of exposition are wound up. 155, 000 


Total. 1,160,000 


The presentation I have made will show" that the controlling corpo¬ 
ration has the resources to construct the exposition and open it in a 
solvent condition, and, further, that the exposition’s revenues during 
the period it will be open to the public will be sufficient to pay all 
expenses of operation and all other costs that may arise, and leave a 
substantial surplus at the close. 

Gentlemen of the committee, I thank you. 

The Chairman. Mr. Reed, I suppose you estimated 2,000,000 
admissions, did you not? 

Mr. Reed. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Can you give this committee a table of the admis¬ 
sions at previous expositions? 

Mr. Reed. Yes, sir. 










ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


31 


The Chairman. Have you got it there ? 

Mr. Reed. I have not got it with me, but I can get it. 

The Chairman. We will be very much obliged if you will do so, 
because it will save us applying to the various Departments here, and 
it is matter that we should have. 

Mr. Reed. I know in a general way what it has been. The Port¬ 
land Exposition was 1,588,000; Jamestown, 1,481,000- 

The Chairman. Paid admissions? * 

Mr. Reed. Paid admissions; yes, sir. Omaha, practically 1,800,000. 

The Chairman. And Buffalo? 

Mr. Reed. Buffalo was between five and six million; Chicago, 
21,000,000; St. Louis, 1,800,000; Nashville, something like 1,200,000, 
and Atlanta, 700,000. 

The Chairman. You estimate 2,000,000 at how much apiece? 

Mr. Reed. .They ought to be worth out on the coast 434 cents 
admissions revenue and about 17 cents concessions revenue. That 
was the average at Portland, and we think that is a pretty good 

figure. 

Mr. Legare. Sixty and one-half cents? 

Mr. Reed. Yes, sir; that is about the buying power of our people. 

The Chairman. I do not catch what you mean? 

Mr. Reed. The admission fee is 50 cents to adults—that is, 
persons above 12 years of age—those between 5 and 12, 25 cents, 
and below 5, free. Now, the sale of coupon tickets and the lowering 
of rates on special days runs it down below the 50-cent average, 
but then the sale of coupon tickets which are not used brings it 
partly back again, so it averaged from 40 cents at San Francisco to 
as high as pretty nearly 48 cents at Chicago, and at Portland it 
ran 434 cents, which I think is a low average. 

The Chairman. What do you mean by the concession average? 

Mr. Reed. The exposition derives so much gross revenue from all 
its operations; that is devided by the total number of paid admis¬ 
sions, and that gives the average of paid admissions. At Portland 
it was 174 cents and at other expositions it ran higher. 

* The Chairman. What was it at Jamestown? 

Mr. Reed. I think very close to 17 or 18 cents. I will get the 
figures and give them to you. We think that 2,000,000 paid admis¬ 
sions is a conservative estimate; in fact, the city of Seattle itself 
ought to produce 1,000,000 paid admissions, almost enough to pay 
the operating cost of the exposition. At the Portland Exposition 
the number of paid admissions was substantially 1,600,000, and the 
city probably furnished 600,000 of those, and from the outside they 
got about 1,000,000, and from the East we brought out 122,500 

people. * 

The Chairman. Were you connected with the Oregon Exposition 

yourself ? 

Mr. Reed. I was secretary of it. 

Mr. Legare. What is the population of Portland; 200,000? 

Mr. Reed. Do you mean during the exposition ? 

Mr. Legare. No; the population of Portland now? 

Mr. Reed. I think close to 200,000. 

Mr. Legare. Your population is a little larger than that of Port¬ 
land, is it not? 



32 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


Mr. Reed. At Seattle—well, that is rather a delicate question to 
answer. I live there. 

Mr. McGraw. I will say that we have more than 200,000 people. 
I will confess that we have recently extended the limits; we have 
taken in the city of Ballard, with 15,000 people, and some other 
outlying districts. 

The Chairman. How much was the population of the area that 
is now included in the city of Portland under the census of 1900? 

Mr. Reed. The area of Portland, I think, is about 40 square miles. 

The Chairman. You do not catch my question. I said Portland; 
I should have said Seattle. Seattle has taken in new outlying towns. 
What was the population of Seattle in 1900 and these outlying towns 
added together? 

Mr. Reed. It was less than 100,000. 

Mr. McGraw. No; you are mistaken about that. 

Mr. Humphrey. Seattle had 81,000 population in 1900. 

Mr. Reed. It is impossible for us to give the exact population. 

The Chairman. I just want to see in what proportion it had 
increased, if any. You say it had about 100,000? 

Mr. McGraw. There have also been taken into the city of Seattle 
since that time a number of suburbs. 

Mr. Legare. What I want to know is just what you have to draw 
from in the immediate vicinity as compared with the city of Port¬ 
land. 

Mr. McGraw. In 1900 the county in which Seattle is situated had 
about 104,000, and it would not have been possible for the city to 
have had more than 100,000, and perhaps considerably less. 

The Chairman. Then the city of Seattle took in the whole of King 
County ? 

Mr. McGraw. Oh, no, sir. 

Mr. .Legare. You have given figures to show how many admissions 
came from Portland and its vicinity. Now, I want to know what 
population you have to draw from in your immediate vicinity—I do 
not mean in the corporate limits of the town so much—as compared 
with what Portland had to draw from. It is certainly equal, is it not? 

Mr. McGraw. The population of Portland in 1895 was about 
150,000, and we figure the population of Seattle—that is, not counting 
anything way off, such as towns like Tacoma - 

The Chairman. You think there are 200,000 in Seattle now, do 
you? 

Mr. McGraw. It will be 250,000 next year, I think. 

The Chairman. Do you think there are 200,000 people in Seattle 
now? 

Mr. McGraw. There is no doubt about it. 

The Chairman. Have you not had a local census? 

Mr. Reed. Tacoma concedes them 225,000. 

The Chairman. It is probably 200,000. 

Mr. Humphrey. I noticed the other day that the State census 
gave Seattle 240,000. It has just been completed a few days. 

Mr. Legare. In other words, you have over 300,000 to draw from ? 

Mr. Reed. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. But you have 200,000 within trolley-ride distance ? 

Mr. McGraav. Two hundred and forty thousand in trolley-ride 
distance. 



ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 33 

Mr. Reed. There is a trolley line to Tacoma, Mr. Chairman. 

The ( iiairman. J on know what 1 mean-—those who come in in 
business hours. 

Mr. Nelson. As to the participation of the States, are the States 
generally in the Northwest appropriating money, such as Montana 
and Wyoming? 

Mr. Reed. Oregon and Utah have, but Idaho elects a new legis¬ 
lature every two years, and there are no hold-over senators. Both 
of those States had a heavy expense to meet this year. Montana 
had to meet a direct appropriation of $500,000 on a bond issue that 
had been invalidated, and Idaho had a new university to build; it 
was burned, and they had those trials there that you are familiar 
with, and we should also take into consideration the appropriation, 
beginning with 1909, which they have to make. If they can make 
their appropriations so that they are available by the 15th of March 
they can get everything in readiness. 

Mr. Legare. Have you fixed on a definite day for the opening in 
the bill ? 

Mr. Reed. June 1 is the opening day, and it closes October 15. 

STATEMENT OF W. B. HOGGATT, GOVERNOR OF ALASKA. 

Mr. Humphrey. Mr. Chairman, Governor Iloggatt, of Alaska, is 
present this morning and he does not know whether he can be present 
again, and he wishes to make a brief statement, after which I suggest 
that the committee adjourn until another day, because we have sev¬ 
eral other people whom we wish to be heard. 

Governor TIoggatt. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I think Mr. 
Humphrey has explained why Alaska is asking for an appropriation, 
and the details of the exhibit and all that sort of thing have been gone 
into by other gentlemen. All I want to say to the committee is to 
explain why we are asking for more than was given for the Alaskan 
exhibit at the St. Louis exposition or at Portland. 

The industrial life at Alaska practically began in 1900. Her popu¬ 
lation up to 1900 did not exceed 10,000 whites, and it was confined 
entirely to the coast and southwestern Alaska. Since the discovery 
of the Nome deposits of gold we have had other discoveries of a class 
of gold at Fairbanks and large settlements have been established at 
each place. Our copper deposits were unknown, we did not know 
we had any coal of marketable value, or anything but scattered 
deposits of lignite, and at that time we were unable to make a very 
large or creditable exhibit. Since the date of the St. Louis exposi¬ 
tion, for which we obtained a $50,000 appropriation, we have dis¬ 
covered and exploited two coal fields of immense value, undoubtedly 
the best coal on the Pacific coast, and we have also discovered, in 
opening up, a copper field that in extent and probable future value 
would equal anything in the United States. 

Now, Alaska is featured very largely as the cause of this exhibit. 
I think the good people of Seattle realize the value that Alaska is to 
its growth and the assistance which its development and trade has 
given it, and in appreciation of that fact proposed to hold this 
exposition. Our people in Alaska appreciate the efforts of the people 
of Seattle in this direction and are desirous of making as good an 

27822—08-3 



34 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


exhibit as possible. To do this we will have to have more money 
than we had at the St. Louis exposition. The country is so vast in 
extent that for the collection and arrangement of these exhibits it is 
going to take considerable money to give us what would be a credit¬ 
able exhibit. I am satisfied that the amount asked for will be none 
too large for our needs. Of course the appropriation for the Portland 
exhibit was not as large as St. Louis, nor was our exhibit as creditable, 
and the people of Alaska would almost rather have no exhibit if it was 
not one which would embrace all our resources- and possibilities of 
wealth, and for this reason I hope that the amount asked for will not 
be cut, especially as there is a provision which puts the expenditure 
under the control of the Secretary of the Treasury, and if for any 
reason we find that it can not be available or used to good advantage 
it will not be used; but it is difficult in a country that is developing as 
rapidly and extended over such a large area to approximate the 
necessary expenditures in matters of this kind two or three years 
ahead. So I trust that we will be allowed what we ask for. There is 
no necessity for my going into an explanation of why we ask it, 
because Mr. Humphrey has already done that. 

The Chairman. You think if we appropriate this amount for 
the Alaskan Exposition that it will be of great assistance in develop¬ 
ing your resources? 

Governor Hoggatt. Undoubtedly it will. 

The Chairman. You have seen great benefits resulting from the 
expenditures, have you, at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition? 

Governor Hoggatt. Oh, yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And the Lewis and Clark Exposition — we made an 
appropriation at each of those for an Alaskan exhibit; you have been 
able to put your finger on it in your own experience ? 

Governor Hoggatt. Yes, sir; each year I find more and more 
interest in Alaska as I come east. 

The Chairman. No; I mean in consequence of those expositions? 

Governor Hoggatt. In consequence of those expositions. 

The Chairman. You can trace the connection between them? 

Governor Hoggatt. Yes, sir; they are constantly referring to what 
they saw at those expositions. 

The Chairman. And you can trace a direct advantage to Alaska? 

Governor Hoggatt. Yes, sir; very decidedly. 

Mr. Higgins. What is the estimated white population of Alaska at 
present ? 

Governor Hoggatt. We have about 31,000 white population living 
there. 

Mr. Higgins. What is the industry? 

Governor Hoggatt. Mining; the permanent population is mainly 
engaged in mining. Probably 2,000 are engaged in halibut and other 
fishing, but almost entirely engaged in mining or in business relating 
to mining—merchandise or business of that character that is carried 
on in towns that are entirely dependent on mining for their support. 

Mr. Legare. Is that fish story that Mr. Humphrey told about true? 

Governor Hoggatt. I have no doubt that it is; I do not like to dis¬ 
count another man’s story, but our fisheries, of course, are of more 
value. Our salmon pack this year is the greatest we have had, and 
the price is greater than heretofore with the exception of one year. 
The value of the salmon pack this year will run about $12,000,000; 
last year it was $9,000,000. 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 35 

Mr. Legare. You have raised it over $2,000,000? 

Governor Hoggatt. Yes, sir; our pack amounted to a little over 
$2,000,000 in excess, and we are getting good prices; the price has 
been running up, so I think the value will run higher than Mr. 
Humphrey has stated. Two things enter into it, the price of the fish 
and the amount of the pack. 

Gentlemen, I think that is all I care to say unless some member 
desires to ask me a question. 

Mr. Humphrey. Now, Mr. Chairman, I think the members of the 
committee may want to go upon the floor of the House, and we had 
probably better adjourn to some other day. There are other gentle¬ 
men here representing Hawaii and Alaska, and the War Department 
also desires to send another representative. 

The Chairman. There are several members of the committee who 
would like to hear this matter out, and of course when it comes to 
fixing another day I will say that we have Taylor’s colored gentlemen’s 
exposition that he desires to have a hearing on, and there are others, 
and you might have to wait some time. 

Mr. Humphrey. We have Judge Ballinger, who is the Commis¬ 
sioner of the General Land Office, and another representative from the 
War Department, and another representative from Alaska, and two 
representatives from Hawaii, none of whom will consume much time., 
but their remarks will be important. 

Mr. Nelson. The remarks will be addressed more particularly to 
the cost of making the exhibit than an}Thing else, I suppose? 

Mr. Humphrey. I think it bears largely on the Philippines. 

The Chairman. Do you mean Mr. Schofield. 

Mr. Humphrey. He is the chief clerk; I do not know his name. 
He was here this morning. 

Mr. Legare. Mr. Chairman, I suggest that we hear such gentlemen 
as can not conveniently come back, and those who can we will hear 
later. 

Mr. Humphrey. I think any of them can come back at any time 
that will suit the committee. 

The Chairman. The committee would rather have you go on with 
such witnesses as you haA r e here. I have not had an expression from 
Mr. Nelson, but it is the opinion of the majority of the members here 
that we should go on. You realize how difficult it is to get the commit¬ 
tee together the second time. 

Mr. Kalanianaole, of Hawaii. Mr. Chairman, I have two men here 
representing the business community of Honolulu who would like to 
be heard, and I have a written statement that I can submit to the 
committee. 

The Chairman. That will be satisfactory, and we will hear your two 
constituents at another time. 

i i 

STATEMENT OF GEORGE B. McCLELLAN, REPRESENTING THE 
MERCHANTS’ ASSOCIATION OF HONOLULU, HAWAII. 

Mr. McClellan. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, 
Hawaii is, of course, the youngest Territory in the United States, and 
for that reason, among others, there are special reasons why it ought to 
be properly represented at a national exposition of this character. I 
have brought in here and placed on the wall a map showing the rela¬ 
tive location of the Hawaiian Islands in the middle of the Pacific 


36 ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 

Ocean. It is, of course, just a skeleton outline map, which has been 
sketched on the Mercator projection. It is a Hat map of the world 
which, of course, has to make adjustments taking it ofl of the globe 
form. It is a scale map and not a map built on the plan of a railroad 
folder, shifting State lines. This is an actual map; Mercator’s pro¬ 
jection is the standard map of the world, as is known to you gentle¬ 
men, and tliis shows the relative position of Hawaii in its position 
in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. 

I have brought this map in here because Hawaii in its area is so 
comparatively small that when laid alongside of the United States and 
Alaska if it were not for its commanding position.it would be entitled 
to rather small consideration from this committee; but the fact that 
Hawaii does occupy that commanding position is the reason it has 
been taken into the United States. 

Now, we do not propose to go into the long history of Hawaii, 
except to say this much, that for more than sixty-five years now, as 
has already been pointed out by other gentlemen who have spoken 
for Hawaii, there has been really a Monroe doctrine for the Pacific 
Ocean, or, more strictly speaking, a Monroe doctrine for the Hawaiian 
Islands, namely, that no other country should hold the Hawaiian 
Islands. That doctrine was laid down by President Tyler in 1842, 
and reiterated by Daniel Webster when lie was Secretary of State, 
and by William Marcy, the great Democratic Secretary of State, 
and brought down to modern times until manifest destiny brought 
these islands into the United States. 

Now, the point that I am making in connection with Hawaii and 
this exposition is this: There are the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific, 
now* the political possessions of the United States, and more than 
that, they are an organic Territory of the United States. The United 
States holds them politically, and it is very important that they 
should be possessed and occupied more extensively by an American 
population—a typical American population. We have a larger per¬ 
centage of Orientals there, and the percentage is greater than is for 
the best development of the Hawaiian Isands as an American 
Territory; in other words, we are extremely anxious to raise our 
percentage of American citizens. 

Now, since Hawaii has been annexed to the United States—roughly 
ten years ago—Hawaii has not participated in any extensive way in 
any exposition. We had a small representation at the Portland 
Exposition, but not an extensive one. We never had an adequate 
representation at a national exposition, and this being distinctly 
an exposition of the Pacific, and covering and relating in a large sense 
to commerce all around the Pacific, it would be eminently proper 
and fitting for Hawaii to be adequately represented there so far as 
the exposition is concerned. 

Now, as far as Hawaii is concerned, it is important that we should 
get our opportunities and resources before the American people who 
come out to the Pacific coast, so that we may be able to draw as far 
as possible American settlers to the islands. We need more typical 
American settlers. It is not easy to get them there, and our condi¬ 
tions are not sufficiently developed to bring them there and keep 
them there as rapidly as we want to. We want to work that problem 
out just as rapidly as possible, and we want to set before the expo¬ 
sition visitors some of the new industries ot the islands, notably 



ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


37 


the pineapple and tropical fruit exhibits in which Americans can 
engage, and we think profitably. We think Hawaii should be given 
an opportunity to show what her resources are, with the hope of 
gaining some additions of American settlers, and we maintain that 
that is a matter of national concern. 

As you gentlemen will recall, in the messages of the President for 
the last four years, I think the President in each recurring message 
has spoken of the Americanization of Hawaii. Now, as to whether 
or not the Hawaiian Islands are entitled to the very modest repre¬ 
sentation to which the gentlemen have scaled this appropriation— 
I understand it is $25,000—I am advised it has not been*scaled down 
because of any lack of importance of Hawaii, but because of the 
present situation and the necessity of cutting down the entire bill. 

Gentlemen, the speakers who have preceded me have called your 
attention to the fact that Alaska, since its acquisition in 1867—that 
is, forty years ago—has paid into this Government in revenues 
approximately $11,000,000. When you look at the vast area of 
Alaska and then look at the little dots, comparatively speaking, of 
Hawaii, I am all the more pleased to be able to state that in the ten 
years, or less than ten years, that Hawaii has been part of the United 
States Government we have contributed approximately $10,000,000 
to the Federal Treasury. Now, in view of that fact, and in view of 
these tremendous payments—I say tremendous because they are tre¬ 
mendous, relatively speaking; they are larger per capita payments 
than those of anj^ State in the Union, I believe—I think we are not 
asking too much. 

The Chairman. In what form is that payment made? 

Mr. McClellan. In customs revenue chiefly; also in internal 
revenues. 

Mr. Higgins. Is that over and above all expenses? 

Mr. McClellan. That is the gross payment. I think the Govern¬ 
ment expenditure there has run, roughly speaking, $150,000 a year. 

The Chairman. Does that include harbor improvement? 

Mr. McClellan. That does not include river and harbor improve¬ 
ments. 

Mr. Nelson. Fortifications, etc.? 

Mr. McClellan. We have not acquired any so far. Ten years 
after the annexation of Hawaii we have not a single gun mounted for 
the defense of the Hawaiian Islands. 

The Chairman. 1 understand you to sav that Hawaii has collected 
$10,000,000 gross? 

Mr. McClellan. Yes, sir. 

Mr. Legare. You have a surplus of over $7,000,000 ? 

Mr. McClellan. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Is that on goods that,remain in the islands? 

Mr. McClellan. Yes, sir; and I want to call attention, as long as 
you are speaking on that subject, to the fact that that is a distinct 
additiona contribution to the general one that we make through the 
ports of Chicago, Boston, New Y r ork, and elsewhere. We buy from 
this country anywhere from $15,000,000 to $25,000,000 worth a year 
and pay cash for goods on which customs duties have been paid at 
these eastern ports, so we are making our indirect contributions to the 
Treasury through those channels; but in addition to this indirect con¬ 
tribution that we make, we are paying one million and a quarter dol¬ 
lars into the Treasur}^ direct. 



38 ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 

Mr. Howell. Was any appropriation made for the Hawaiian 
exhibit at the Lewis and Clark and the Jamestown expositions similar 
to this that is being asked for now ? 

Mr. McClellan. There was not, that I have heard of. 

Mr. Howell. So far as you know, no appropriation has been made 
for a peculiarly Hawaiian exhibit ? 

Mr. McClellan. We made our own. This is the first request that 
has been made on the part of Hawaii. 

Mr. Kalanianaole. She has had them, but she always paid for 
them herself. 

The Chairman. The Territorial treasury? 

Mr. McClellan. Yes, sir. I think, in view of the fact that Hawaii 
has been for ten years an integral part of this country and is making 
these very large contributions to the National Treasury—tremendous 
contributions in view of her size and population and in view of the 
importance to us of some practical results in the way of a larger 
American population—that it would be sound business policy to see 
to it that Hawaii has adequate representation. 

The Chairman. You think that this $25,000, if we gave it for the 
purpose of this exposition at Seattle, to pay for your part of the show, 
would be of great value to you for advertising purposes. 

Mr. McClellan. For advertising it among the American people; 
yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Suppose we should give you $25,000 for advertis¬ 
ing purposes and save $675,000 that they are asking beside, could you 
not do better advertising with the $25,000 than taking part in that 
exposition ? 

Mr. McClellan. That has not been our idea. We are expending 
our own money in that direction; we are expending considerable 
sums in advertising our resources through the United States. 

The Chairman. Would you not rather spend it that way than to 
spend it in taking part in this exposition at Seattle? 

Mr. McClellan. No, sir. We are doing that work already. 

Mr. Higgins. Just what do you contemplate would be the exhibit 
of the Hawaiian Islands in this exposition? 

Mr. McClellan. I think the main exhibit our people would try 
to bring forward would be the exhibit of the pineapple and the rubber 
cultivation that is being-undertaken, and tobacco culture. 

Mr. Higgins. Just how could you do that? You could not bring 
the land there and raise these agricultural products there that you 
have referred to. 

Mr. McClellan. Well, suppose we should bring, as we can bring, 
12-pound pineapples there and have those exhibited as the pineapples 
that we raise and sell there- 

Mr. Higgins. The best in the world; there is no doubt about that. 

Mr. McClellan. The best in the world; and have other samples 
of fruit there and have a man in charge of those exhibits who could 
talk to the people who came there about the character and prices of 
land in Hawaii. We should, of course at our own expense, provide 
pamphlets stating the prices of land there, and I think by this means 
we could make a very good showing as to what the islands are. 

Mr. Nelson. Is it not quite likely that a great many people who 
would go from the East to the exposition would sail over to Hawaii 
and visit it personally? 







ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


39 


Mr. McClellan. We would hope that would.be the case. We 
want to have as many American citizens as possible come to the island 
so that they will be more familiar with the island. Of course we 
would be very glad and are endeavoring to work up a tourist business, 
and we are doing that as far as American shipping conditions will 
permit. We are almost cut off from the mainland through lack of 
steamer service at present, but we want to make as many extensions 
in that direction as possible. 

I have not said anything about the sugar industry, which is, of 
course, our main industry, because Judge Hatch, who is present, is 
more familiar with that particular feature than I am and he can 
speak to you about it. 

The Chairman. You say that the Hawaiian people are spending 
money in advertising and exploiting the islands in this country? 

Mr. McClellan. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Are those same people going to subscribe to this 
exposition at Seattle ? 

Mr. McClellan. Nothing of that sort has been done; no, sir. 

The Chairman. Is there any intention of doing it? 

Mr. McClellan. I am not prepared to vouch for them. 

The Chairman. Presumably you can expend money by advertising 
in your own way better than by subscribing to that exposition, can 
you? 

Mr. McClellan. I do'not think your presumption applies. Our 
people have been doing that for the last three years. That is a regular 
established institution, and we will continue to do that. 

The Chairman. Would you rather put the $25,000 in this exposi¬ 
tion or have new light-houses and river and harbor improvements? 

Mr. McClellan. I do not know that I am prepared to answer that 
offhand. I would say to you that Hawaii, from its relation to the 
United States territory, is entitled to both. 

The Chairman. But suppose Congress says it is hard up and you 
can only have one or the other, how do you feel about it ? 

Mr. McClellan. We want to be represented at this exposition. 

The Chairman. You would prefer it to the river and harbor im¬ 
provements ? 

Mr. McClellan. Harbor improvements and light-houses in Ha¬ 
waii are for the benefit of the nation’s export commerce; we ask rep¬ 
resentation in this exposition for our own benefit. 

Mr. Legare. I do not think there is any chance of a river and har¬ 
bor appropriation. 

The Chairman. We are all familiar with the argument that cus¬ 
toms inspectors’ salaries in New York should be raised because New 
York has collected so much in payments. You know that is not 
sound reasoning? 

Mr. McClellan. You will readily concede that comparisons 
between a great importing point like New York and the other ports of 
the United States is not a fair basis of comparison with a port like 
Honolulu, that uses all of the goods on which tariff duties are paid. 

The Chairman. I do; I concede it. 

Mr. McClellan. And the importance of the Hawaiian Island is her 
strategic importance. The importance of the development of those 
harbors as related to the export commerce of this country lias begun 
to be appreciated, and I take pleasure in saying that the Rivers and 


40 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


Harbors Committee has been one of the lirst committees of this Con¬ 
gress to recognize the importance of Hawaii with reference to the 
United States, and its value in an international sense and not as a 
mere local territory. 

Mr. Higgins. I think the Fortifications Committee will be the next 
to recognize it. 

Mr. McClellan. lUhink that will be the case. 

STATEMENT OF F. M. HATCH, REPRESENTING THE CHAMBER OF 

[COMMERCE OF HONOLULU. 

C: Mr. Hatch . Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I wish to 
heartily indorse all that Mr. McClellan has said, and to further remark 
that we contend that this exposition would not be in any sense com¬ 
plete unless it was able to point out to everyone the importance of the 
trade of the Pacific. Secretary Taft made that very plain to-day and 
it seemed to me he covered it quite generally. 

Now, the trade of the Pacific can not be represented unless the trade 
of Hawaii is represented and unless the importance of that trade is 
represented. We are here to do our little part. I say that irre¬ 
spective of the aid you give Hawaii, we intend to do our little share 
toward being represented at this exposition and joining with our 
friends on the coast and on Puget Sound. Our trade relations have 
not commenced scatcely with that region. Our trade relations have 
been almost entirely confined to the port of San Francisco, but we 
can see a great future to the trade of Hawaii through the develop¬ 
ment of Puget Sound, and I think it is not asking very much of this 
committee to make this small appropriation to help along a cause in 
' the interest not only locally in Hawaii, but the country as a country, 
and if I might answer a question that was asked Mr. McClellan, if 
he did not consider the light-houses constructed by the Government 
in Hawaii a gift to Hawaii, I would say that it has been money ex¬ 
pended in pursuance of a national obligation, to light the coast of this 
country as a nation, and not as an individual gift. I might say in 
addition that our local legislature meets only once in two years; its 
next session will be in March, 1909, so it is rather late to ask that the 
legislature make the appropriation. 

The Chairman. When did it adjourn? 

Mr. Hatch. Last March. 

The Chairman. March, 1907? 

Mr. Hatch. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And will not meet again until March, 1909? 

Mr. Hatch. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. How long did they stay in session? 

Mr. Hatch. They are limited b}^ the law to sixty days. They 
generally call an extra session. 

The Chairman. But there was no movement made in the last ses¬ 
sion to obtain it? 

Mr. Hatch. I think not. 

Mr. Peed. I will say to the committee that I took that matter up 
with Governor Carter and the legislative assemblv and they had no 
money. 

Mr. Hatch. 1 do not think they quite saw the importance of it. 
I know, however, that the treasury is quite hard up for money, so 
far as the treasure is concerned. 








ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 41 

The Chairman. Have you consulted Governor Carter about this 
matter ? 

Mr. Hatch. No, sir; he is no longer governor. Governor Freer is 
our governor. _ I have not consulted the governor of the Territory 
about it, but I think 1 am not saying too much when I say that the 
Territory is extremely interested in this exposition and desires to be 
represented there and to do its part toward making it complete and 
demonstrating the importance of the trade on the Pacific Ocean. 
We stand on the ground, as Secretary Taft pointed out, that one of 
the great features of this exposition is to demonstrate the importance 
of the enterprise in that particular. 

I thank you, gentlemen. 

STATEMENT OF HON. THOMAS CALE, DELEGATE FROM ALASKA. 

Mr. Cale. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I 
assure you that I shall not take up but very few minutes of your 
time for the reason that gentlemen who have preceded me, partic¬ 
ularly the Representatives from the State of Washington, have said 
nearly all that there is to be said in relation to the interest of Alaska 
in this enterprise. Alaska, I think it is safe to say, is not properly 
appreciated by the people of the United States, and the interest that 
Alaska will take in this exposition is one that I think I can say is 
entirely devoid of sentiment. It is purely a cold business trans¬ 
action with Alaska. We are desirous of bringing the attention of 
the people on the outside to the vast, resources of the Territory and 
to satisfy you that it is going to be one of the greatest fields that the 
United States has control of in the near future. There is no longer, 
strictly speaking, any West. We have over there a country that is 
new. Ten years ago, as the governor has said,-there was practically 
nobody in Alaska except along the borders in the southeastern por¬ 
tion of the Territory. We have now a population, the governor says, 
of about 31,000. 1 think he has underestimated it considerably, 

because I would place it from 40,000 to 45,000, although that is 
purely speculative. I have spent eleven years in the various por¬ 
tions of Alaska; I have been all over it, and 1 make mention of that 
fact to satisfy you, perhaps, that my judgment as to population may 
be equally as correct as the governor’s. 

As to our resources, the principal one up to the present time— 
that is, the most vast resource that we have—is the mining industry. 
We are producing in the neighborhood of $20,000,000 worth of gold 
annually. The copper industry is only in its infancy—it is not in 
its infancy; in fact, it is only within the last two or three years that 
we had any knowledge that that particular branch of mining was of 
such vast extent as it is, and as to the coal industry it is said by some 
of our geologists who have made surveys there that we have as good 
coal as there is in any of the fields of Pennsylvania. They have esti¬ 
mated as high as 2,800,000 acres of coal land, and we have the lig¬ 
nite and the bituminous and other grades of coal—some of the best 
grades of coal in the world, and also the best coke coal, and we are 
anxious to satisfy the people of the United States of the vast re-^ 
sources that are there. The agricultural possibilities of the State 
are well worthy of earnest consideration and encouragement. 

The Chairman. What character of crops have you there? 




42 


ALASKA-Y[IKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


Mr. Cale. I have seen thoroughly matured wheat there as tine as 
you will see in Minnesota, Dakota, or any other country. I had a 
sample of it with me and exhibited it. 

Mr. Higgins. I notice that Secretary Wilson stated, that he found 
a wheat in Siberia that could be successfully raised in Alaska, and 
prophesies that Alaska’s wheat crop would exceed its mineral output 
in a few years. 

Mr. Cale. I will not dispute the statement. This wheat that I 
took grew up voluntarily—that is, it had spading—in the town of 
Fairbanks. Nobody knows how it grew there. There were two or 
three shocks that grew up in the garden. We raise as fine potatoes, 
beets, carrots, lettuce, cabbages—all kinds of garden truck except 
some of the tropical garden truck—as can be found on the globe. 
We also have hay, oats, and barley. Barley could unquestionably 
be raised in good quantities. 

Mr. Nelson. What is the extent of your summer season? 

Mr. Cale. The summer, properly speaking, is from about the 
middle of May up until about the 1st of September. As to the 
summer season there, you understand, we have just as much growing 
time there as you have here, nearly, because it is perpetual daylight 
and nearly perpetual sunlight, so vegetation is exceedingly rapid, 
so much so that people on the outside who have never been in lati¬ 
tudes of that kind do not appreciate or realize fully the situation 
there. You would undoubtedly have frosts every night in the year 
in this same locality were it not for the perpetual sun and daylight. 
The fishing industry has been referred to, and I do not think it is 
necessary for me to dwell on that any longer. I wash to say that the 
people of Alaska are very much in earnest in this matter and are 
taking a great deal of interest in this exposition that is to be given 
on the coast. As we have no local legislature, there has been no 
way for the people of Alaska to get together and express themselves 
fully, and f.or that reason we have no way of appropriating money 
or raising money or giving it any encouragement, except by coming 
down here and telling you gentlemen how we feel and asking you 
to give us the amount called for in the bill. We hope in the very 
near future, with your help, that we will have a local legislature 
' or government, so that we can in a measure better represent our 
Territory not only in the halls of Congress hut before bodies of every 
kind that we have to appear before. 

Now, gentlemen, I do not think of anything further that I can say 
that would he of interest to you, and unless you have some questions 
to ask I will close. 

Mr. Reed has just called my attention to the fact that I should 
make mention of the coal in Alaska. The whole Pacific coast must 
draw upon Alaska for its coal reserve, because the coal in the State 
of Washington, as I understand it, is not as good grade of coal for all 
kinds of business; they cio not use it. We are" buying coal-from 
Australia or New Zealand or Wales, and in foreign countries else¬ 
where, while we have plenty of it right on the borders of Alaska 
where it is easy to get and comparatively easy to mine. That is a 
♦subject that the Government must certainly take interest in—the 
opening up of the country and its coal mines. 

Mr. Humphrey. Mr. Cale, there is one point that I do not know 
whether you stated fully or not, and I would like to ask you what 



ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 


48 


the feeling of the people of Alaska is toward this exposition—as to 
their desire to participate, T ou have a wider acquaintance perhaps 
there than any other man. 

Mr. Cale. Certainly; every man here knows that I am a Vermonter 
myself. I was born and raised in Vermont, and I have been on the 
frontier ever since I left Vermont, forty or forty-five years ago. 
The people who go into Alaska are from Vermont, Massachusetts, 
and Illinois, and from all the other States of the Union. They are 
the progressive, energetic, and enterprising people of the United 
States who go into Alaska, so it would hardly be necessary for me 
to assure you that there are no people who are more desirous of 
aiding and assisting any enterprise that has a tendency to improve 
the greatness of this nation, and I can assure you that every person 
in Alaska is anxious and willing to participate and to do anything 
that they possibly can to make this exposition a success. 

The Chairman. There has been nothing of this character before, 
has there, to help Alaska along? 

Mr. Cale. No, sir; as I have said, Alaska can only participate 
individually. We have no way of getting together to "do anything. 
It is very remote from Nome down to southwestern Alaska. 

The Chairman. I mean this is giving you an opportunity that you 
never had before? 

Mr. Cale. Oh, yes, sir; I understand. 

The Chairman. Then you do not think it was of much value to 
Alaska—the exhibitions that they made in Portland and St. Louis? 

Mr. Cale. Oh, yes, sir; they exhibited; they were represented, as 
I understand. 

The Chairman. I misunderstood you. I asked if you had ever had 
such an opportunity before, and you said “No.” What I wanted 
to know was whether those other opportunities had impressed them¬ 
selves on your mind as having been of particular value to Alaska. 

Mr. Cale. At the various other expositions, as I understand, there 
was an Alaskan exhibit entered. 

The Chairman. But it was of so little importance that it did not 
come particular to your notice ? 

Mr. Cale. No; I can explain that in this way. I have been a miner 
and prospector away in the interior and it would be sometimes a year 
and a half when I would not even see a newspaper. It was eight 
months after the election before we knew whether Roosevelt or some 
one else was elected. 

The Chairman. What I mean is that you never heard any talk of it ? 

Mr. Cale. No, sir. 

Mr. Humphrey. Just give him an opportunity to explain. He 
has not been out there but a short time. 

The Chairman. I understand that, but he did not hear any talk 
when he came out of any advantage that it had been to Alaska. 

Mr. Cale. There were ten years when I never came on the outside, 
and I was pretty dull as to things that had transpired on the outside. 

Mr. Legare. I understood you to say that there are 2,800,000 
acres of coal land in Alaska ? 

Mr. Cale. That is what the Geological Survey reported. 

Mr. Nelson. Have the municipal towns of Alaska communicated 
with you on this matter ?| Hi 


44 ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 

Mr. Cale. No, sir; they left it in the hands of Governor Hoggatt— 
the gentlemen who have charge of the exposition have left that to the 
governor to look after. Just what information he has with relation 
to that I am not prepared to say. 

Mr. Higgins. How would Alaska make these exhibits—by individ¬ 
uals ? 

Mr. Cale. Oh, yes, sir, individuals—merchants. 

Mr. Higgins. Would the cities take the matter up as municipalities ? 

Mr. Cale. Yes, sir; and also the railroads. 

Mr. Higgins. Have they as yet? 

Mr. Cale. I do not know. 

Mr. Higgins. You do not know whether they have expressed 
themselves on the subject one way or the other? 

Mr. Cale. I know they have talked about it, but whether they have 
got down to business since I left I do not know. It was in September 
that I left, and I have not devoted anytime whatever to the exposition. 
I have been busy in other lines, so that I could not do so. That was 
turned over, as I have said, to the governor. I spent the whole season 
passing through Alaska, going from one place to the other, and it took 
me nearly all summer to make the trip. I did not have time to get 
in as close touch with the people on all subjects, of course, as I should 
like to have done. 

STATEMENT OF HON. JONAH K. KALANIANAOLE, DELEGATE 

FROM HAWAII. 

The Chairman. I understand that Mr. Kalanianaole will present 
his remarks at some other day. 

Mr. Kalanianaole. Mr. Chairman, if you wish me to say a few 
words as to Hawaii being represented there, I will say that I think 
there is nothing better that Congress can do for those people in the 
West than to make an appropriation. 

Hawaii is the youngest Territory in the Union. Partly for that 
reason and partly because of her insular location she is less known 
to the American people than any other integral part of the nation 
with the exception of Alaska. 

Detached from the mainland, like Alaska, comparatively few 
of our fellow-citizens from the States visit or pass through our islands. 
It is therefore especially fitting that provision should be made by the 
National Government to have Hawaii represented with a complete 
and well-prepared exhibit at the Alaska-Yukon Exposition. 

The Hawaiian Islands and people occupy an unusual position in 
modern history. 

While it is less than a century since the Hawaiian race emerged 
from primitive conditions to meet the opportunities of a Christian 
civilization and modern education, yet Hawaii is to-day one of the 
most progressive communities in this nation. 

Nowhere in history is there record of any primitive people who 
were able to adopt modern civilization and education with as great 
rapidity as the Hawaiian people. Within forty years from the time 
their language was first reduced to printed form the mass of the 
Hawaiian people had progressed through the lower branches of 
learning, while large numbers had mastered the higher branches. 



ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION AT SEATTLE. 45 

Within a quarter of a century from this educational beginning the 
feudal government had given place to a liberal constitutional mon¬ 
archy and the common-law system of jurisprudence was established. 

To-day with public high schools and endowed schools that fit our 
young men and women for Yale, Harvard, and all the great colleges 
of the country, we also have a grade school system so effective that 
the percentage of literacy among the Hawaiian people is a fraction 
higher than that of the State of Massachusetts. 

The past record of educational work in Hawaii is a splendid one, 
and reaches the high-water mark of Anglo-Saxon effort to establish 
its own civilization in a subtropical country and among diverse peo¬ 
ples. For decades past the per capita expenditure of our citizen 
population for education has exceeded that of any State of the 
Union; the total expenditure for the maintenance of schools and 
the construction of school buildings in Hawaii during the past five 
years has been over $2,250,000, or an equivalent of over one-fourth 
of the total revenues of the Territory. 

The American people are not acquainted with Hawaii and its 
people; nor do they realize our remarkable progress both in educa¬ 
tion and commercial life. 

A proper Hawaiian exhibit at the Alaska Exposition would do 
much to acquaint the nation with the resources and achievements 
of Hawaii, and provision for such an exhibit should be provided by 
the Federal Government. 

Since the annexation of Hawaii our Territory has paid about 
$10,000,000 in gold coin into the Federal Treasury. The acquisition 
of Hawaii has been highly profitable to the United States Govern¬ 
ment, and it is only just that Congress should deal liberally with us 
in providing for a* Hawaiian exhibit at the coming Alaska-Yukon 
Exposition. 

Mr. Humphrey. That is all I have at present, Mr. Chairman. We 
only have two others, Judge Ballenger, of the General Land Office, 
and a representative from the War Department, who will appear 
at some other time, and it will not occupy more than another hour, 
and I will have to ask the, committee to give us that hour at some 
other time when these gentlemen will be here. 

The Chairman. Very well. 

(The committee thereupon at 1.20 p. m. adjourned to meet on 
notice.) 























, . 










i ■ 









I • 






































































HEARING 


BEFORE THE 

COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL ARTS 

AND EXPOSITIONS 

f A ^ 

OF THE 

I \Y 

\AG HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

'I 


ALASKA-YUKON EXPOSITION 


FEBRUARY 10, 1908 


PART II 


COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL ARTS AND EXPOSITIONS 


SIXTIETH CONGRESS 


AUGUSTUS P. GARDNER, CHAIRMAN 


WILLIAM A. RODENBERGI 
JOSEPH HOWELL 
JAMES M. MILLER 
CHARLES N. BRUMM 
EDWIN W. HIGGINS 
CYRUS DUREY 
JOHN M. NELSON 


JOEL COOK 
JOHN W. LANGLEY 
HARRY L. MAYNARD 
GEORGE S. LEGARE 
HENRY M. GOLDFOGLE 
JOSEPH L. RHINOCK 
COURTNEY W. HAMLIN 
LE GAGE PRATT 


W. W. LUFKIN, Clerk 


9 



WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

19 0 8 

































>1AR 

a 


1309 

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AL ASK A-V UK0N-P AC 1F1C EXPOS IT LON. 


Committee on Industrial Arts and Expositions, 

House of Representatives, 
Monday , February 10 , 1908. 

The Committee met at 11.30 a. m., Hon. A. P. Gardner (chairman) 
presiding. 

STATEMENT OF MAJ. W. P. RICHARDSON, OF THE NINTH IT. S. 

INFANTRY. 

Major Richardson. I have been on duty in a variety of capacities 
in Alaska for a number of years, and for that reason, I suppose, I 
am asked to make a few remarks in connection with the proposed 
exposition at Seattle, although I have to say in the beginning that 
I am not fully informed as to the progress of the project up to date, 
and all the details connected with it, of which you have doubtless 
been informed by other gentlemen who have been here before you. 

My own knowledge of the matter relates almost entirely to Alaska 
and its connection with it. This project I understand was originally 
suggested with the view simply to exploiting Alaska and its 
resources and of making the people of this country generally better 
acquainted with what we had in the northwest country. However, 
the people who took the matter up and had it in charge very wisely 
decided, I think, to extend the scope of the exposition to include the 
Canadian Yukon and northwest and the northwest section of our 
country, and also postponed the time of holding it from 1907, the 
date originally set, to 1909. 

Now, the bill, I believe, carries with it the proposed appropriation 
of $100,000 for the purpose of exploiting the resources of Alaska. 
This seems to me to be a very reasonable sum for that purpose, and 
it also seems to me a most reasonable proposition to ask the Govern¬ 
ment and Congress to expend what may be considered necessary to 
present, in the shape in which'it is proposed there, such data in the 
way of samples from that country as will enable the people of the 
country at large to form a better idea than they have at this time 
of the resources of the great Territory of Alaska. We who live and 
have been on duty in the northwest of course are familiar with 
Alaska, and all the people of Seattle and Washington, or most of 
them, are to a degree familiar with its resources and possibilities; 
but it is a fact that throughout the country at large there still exists 
a very mistaken idea as to the resources and possibilities of the Ter¬ 
ritory. 


3 



4 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 


The men in charge of the exposition are, I believe, men who have 
had experience in such matters, and who are well qualified to apply 
this proposed appropriation in a way to produce the best and the 
most desirable results. 

It is not necessary, I think, and I do not wish to take up your time 
to go into detail at all as to what might be exhibited from Alaska, 
but this exhibit would doubtless include samples of the mining and 
vegetable products, the fisheries, and so on. I have been on duty 
in Alaska long enough to possibly incur the accusation of being en¬ 
thusiastic in my sentiments toward its value to our country, but I 
try to divest my mind of that as much as possible, and as an officer 
of the Government view the problem from a dispassionate and un¬ 
prejudiced standpoint, and from that point of view I say truthfully 
that I believe the Territory of Alaska possesses within its bounda¬ 
ries possibilities of wealth and homes for her people, possibilities for 
operations in the North Pacific, in the event it may be needed, in the 
way of ports, the value of which it is almost impossible to estimate. 
The people of Seattle, recognizing this to a degree, have undertaken 
to assist in developing our wealth, and they have devised this expo¬ 
sition in furtherance of this idea. I believe that this exposition is 
conceived in a generous and a noble spirit really for the development 
of our country. The people who have had it in charge will make it 
a success, I believe, whether the Government gives them the aid they 
ask for or not. We have other gentlemen before you who have 
spoken of the enterprises and reliability of the Seattle people and 
their ability to carry this project through. I believe from what I 
have seen that they are not exaggerating their statements in this 
respect. 

Mr. Rodenberg. This bill carries how much for Alaska? 

Major Richardson. One hundred thousand dollars. I do not know 
that I can say anything further. I do not wish to take up your time 
unnecessarily, and, after all, when it is condensed, it only means this, 
that as one individual I give my hearty indorsement to this project 
and the best encouragement I can. It is the view of one man who 
has been in that country for years. 

Mr. Roden berg. There is a unanimous consent for it in Alaska ? 

Major Richardson. Yes; there is. 

The Chairman. How many years have you been in Alaska ? 

Major Richardson. It will be eleven years next August since I 
went to Alaska first. I have spent five winters in the Territory and 
all the summers. 

The Chairman. In your opinion this exposition would be of con¬ 
siderable benefit to the people of Alaska? 

Major Richardson. I think it would be of great benefit to the peo¬ 
ple at large in the United States by acquainting them with the con¬ 
ditions in and the possibilities of Alaska in a way which they are 
not able to obtain in any other way. 

The Chairman. You mean to say that they will have an oppor¬ 
tunity to learn in a way they will not learn otherwise—providing 
people go to the exposition—the resources of Alaska, and that will 
help the people of Alaska ? 

Major Richardson. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Has not anything ever been done before for 
Alaska along this same line? 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 


5 


Major Richardson. They had an exhibit at St. Louis. 

The Chairman. Have you noticed any benefit that accrued to the 
people of Alaska, directly or indirectly, from that exhibit? 

Major Richardson. I am not able to state that I have noticed any 
direct benefit from that particular exhibit. I have had a number of 
individuals speak to me, at different times, of having noted the ex¬ 
hibit and having been surprised at it. I never saw it myself. I do 
not know how extensive it was, and of course I am not able to say 
how well it represented the real needs of Alaska in that respect. 

The Chairman. The St. Louis Exposition is the only thing of that 
sort you have ever heard mentioned as having taught the people of 
the United States more about Alaska, or having directly or indi¬ 
rectly contributed to the prosperity of the Territory? 

Major Richardson. Yes: it is the only one I know of. We had 
a village at Chicago. 

The Chairman. You have heard no talk about any benefit there 
was to the people in Alaska of an exposition anywhere else? 

Major Richardson. No, sir. 

The Chairman. Of course there was one at Portland. 

,Major Richardson. Yes; I did not think of that. I do not know 
what exhibit Alaska had there. 

Mr. Roden berg. Do you know how much was expended for the 
exhibit at St. Louis? 

Major Richardson. I think $50,000. 

Mr. Rodenberg. And the same at Portland ? 

Major Richardson. I think $50,000 at each. 

STATEMENT 0E MR. D. A. McKENZIE, OF CORDOVA BAY, ALASKA. 

Mr. McKenzie. It gave me a good deal of pleasure the other day 
to hear the chairman of this committee inquiring what good the ap¬ 
propriation would do the Alaskan people. Now, I think it is only 
fair and right that Alaska should have the first consideration in 
this exposition. I can not quite agree with my friend, Mr. Cush¬ 
man, that the gold that came out of Alaska and the northern country 
did not have a very great effect in bringing about good times again 
in the country. I believe that was one of the great things that did 
bring prosperity back to this land, and I believe that we should 
have a very great consideration from Congress, both for Alaska and 

for the British Yukon territorv. Both of those countries are con- 

«/ 

tributing a great amount to the wealth of the United States. 

Now, I do not know that Congress has ever made any mistake in 
any appropriation that they may have ever made for Alaska or in the 
purchase of it. Certainly not in the purchase; we all agree upon that 
to-day. I can remember when I was a small boy in western New 
York of my father having a conversation with a neighbor 
farmer of his, and my father made this remark: “ I think it is a 
shame that Seward has squandered all that money to buy icebergs up 
north just for the sake of the United States having a large territory, 
and even if the territory is of any account I don’t believe that we 
should have any noncontiguous territory.” There is nobody running 
about to-day and talking about Seward’s folly. I guess out of per¬ 
haps a four-bit investment in that land—we only paid about 2 cents 
an acre for it—I think for a four-bit investment in the Treadwell 


6 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 


mine there has been a million dollars taken out. Then, if you will 
remember, the Alaska people wanted a telegraph line up through the 
country there, and there was lots of hemming and hawing about 
that. Finally they kind of eased their consciences and said, “ We 
will need it for war purposes,” and we got the telegraph line, and 
we are making lots of money out of it. Major Richardson is spend¬ 
ing some money up there on roads, and that is going to do us a lot 
of good, but in that we can not perhaps show you direct results as 
well as we can from the telegraph line. 

Now, I want you to recollect that when you have been spending 
money on Alaska you have been spending money that was reproduced 
up there. We do not appear here as beggars by any manner of 
means, for every dollar we get out up there comes into the States. 
Every dollar we dig out of the ground comes into the United States, 
and all our taxes you have been gathering up—and you don’t miss 
anybody up there except the people who are not of very much account 
in the community, and that is the lawyer and the doctor and the min¬ 
ister, but everybody else have to pay their taxes in some shape or 
form. Nobody escapes; you have got down here in the big books to 
our credit a very nice sum, and we think that until lately, but a very 
few years ago, you have been very cautious about letting any of it get 
back. Here was another great proposition that started up there. 
Old Dr. Sheldon Jackson down here asked Congress a good many 
years ago to give us some reindeer, but Congress was economical about 
that and they would not give us any money. So the old doctor goes 
over here among these Pennsylvania Quakers and begs some money 
and starts a reindeer herd up there. After a lot of work Congress 
voted some money to buy some more reindeer. I think about all told 
they started with about 1,000 reindeer, and to-day we have about 
15,000 reindeer in Alaska. It has laid the foundation of what is 
going to be one of the great industries of the country, and it is going 
to amount to more to us than does the sheep industry to Oregon and 
Washington. We have feed there for perhaps 10,000,000 head of 
reindeer, and without them great sections of Alaska, larger perhaps 
than the States of Pennsylvania and New York combined, could not 
be prospected and developed. The people abused old Doctor Jackson 
like a pickpocket for this reindeer business, and I am sorry to say 
that the Alaska miners themselves thought it was a big piece of non¬ 
sense and used to laugh and josh about it; and now, since I have 
been in Washington, I have had communications from some of those 
very same boys up there asking me if I can’t get a permit for them to 
purchase a few of these deer from the Government and pay $150 
apiece for them. 

Mr. Nelson. What are they used for? 

Mr. McKenzie. They are used in packing and hauling goods, 
drawing sleds; their milk is good and their meat is splendid, and 
their hides make gloves and shoes, and so on, and we are going to 
pick up industries all over a section of the country that twenty years 
ago even Alaskans thought were worthless. Yoli must see the differ¬ 
ence now between this country.and one such as ours, especially in the 
north part, where we can not use horses, the feed for which costs too 
much; but you take a few reindeer and pack them with supplies in 
the spring of the year and go out into North Alaska and prospect 
through the summer, come back in the winter and turn them out in 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 7 

the general herd, and they take care of themselves all through the 
winter. If you start over there with a dog team—and the governor 
Kue knows all about driving dogs, he has the reputation of being a 
first-class dog driver—with a team of dogs, if you start out on that 
trip, and by the time you get where you want to go, perhaps 300 miles 
away from your starting point, your dogs will have eaten up all the 
load you started with; but the deer paw down through the snow to 
the moss and get their own food, so it is no expense whatever. And 
they belong to that country, as a part of it, but our people did not 
(understand that proposition, and there was another thing that Con- 
giess v as forced into by that grand old man, and we are going to 
build monuments some day all over Alaska to Dr. Sheldon Jackson, 
a man who has been abused in Congress and out of Congress, and 
even by Alaskans themselves. 

The chairman has asked the question several times as to the result 
of the Portland Exposition exhibits of the Alaskan people. I am 
sorry to say that that Portland show did not do the amount of good 
it should have done. In the first place, I had been in that country 
for a number of years, and it happened that I came out that season 
to the outside and visited the show, but before I got outside I knew 
absolutely^ nothing about that fair. We would have been glad to 
make exhibits there if we had had the opportunity, but they did not 
canvass the interior of the country at all, and we knew absolutely 
nothing about it. When I got down to Portland, Alaska had a very 
poor exhibit. They had lots of Indian baskets and curios and that 
kind of stuff, but although we have in that country the best coal on 
this continent, except perhaps the Pennsylvania coal, there was just a 
few little pieces there. We have the richest copper ore in the world, 
and there was only just a sample exhibit of it. 

Now, we need something to develop that country. We asked Con¬ 
gress to aid railroads up there. We asked them to give a franchise— 
I was mixed up in that a little bit—and we asked Congress to give us 
a chance to buy a few acres of wild land for the terminal and one 
section of coal land to be used in the operation of the road. The 
House passed the bill, but the Senate said no. 

The Chairman. What railroad was that? 

Mr. McKenzie. It was a syndicate of gentlemen who asked for a 
charter and the bill to carry the incorporation with it. 

Mr. Cushman. To build from Cordova Bay up the Copper Kiver 
through the Mentasta Pass, all through the Yukon country. 

The Chairman. Is there any railroad through that country now? 

Mr. McKenzie. No ; and there never will be until the Government 
builds it. It should go there and take care of this country where they 
are raising these reindeer. The Government has got to get under it 
or we will never have that road, and I believe this exposition will 
give us a chance to make such a showing in Seattle that it will attract 
the attention of people who have money and they will come in and 
help us to build railroads and assist lots of the miners up there. The 
same thing prevails in the copper country. We are away 170 miles 
in the interior of Alaska. We have been hanging onto that property 
for a long time. It costs lots of money to do even the assessment 
work out there. I have paid a dollar a pound to have stuff packed 
out there into that country, over the Government trail, too—the best 
trail in Alaska. But we can not do anything with that copper until 




8 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 


somebody comes in and helps us. We have to have money. We have 
to come dowii to Boston and everywhere else to get somebody to put 
money into it to develop that copper and build the railroad. We 
haven’t got the money. If we get any up there you take it away 
from us. The Seattle folks get much, and they are about the best 
money getters there are in the United States, and while we are very 
much pleased that they have taken hold of this fair and are pushing 
it ahead, we understand thoroughly that they are not doing it just 
through philanthrophy, but they are wide enough awake to know 
if they can keep us fellows working up there and they can develop 
Alaska with all its resources they are going to have a magnificent 
trade. 

Governor McGraw. You realize we are putting our own money in ? 

Mr.^M cKenzie. Yes; and you are going to get back about a thou¬ 
sand to one when we get these copper mines working. Of course the 
State of Washington does not catch all the money. Right down in 
the State where our chairman hails from I know some gentlemen 
that have taken out $30,000 a day down there. And they are not the 
only ones who get a great deal of the money. We buy boots and 
shoes- 

The Chairman. They get the boots and shoes. 

Mr. McKenzie. Oh, yes; and we have a good trade with Kentucky, 
too. 

If we have the opportunity we will make an exposition there in the 
ore and coal line and agricultural products that will astonish you, 
and I want to tell you I claim the very great honor of raising the 
first turnip that was grown north of the Arctic Circle in Alaska. 

The Chairman. What sort of an agricultural exhibit are you going 
to have? 

Mr. McKenzie. We will show you pretty nearly everything. We 
are not an agricultural people up there; we are a mining people. We 
have not the population there which cares very much for agricultural 
pursuits. In fact the average miner has a contempt for the rancher, 
even if the fellow has a good ranch and a good home and the miner 
has nothing but the pack on his back; he doesn’t think much of the 
fellow who raises potatoes and beans. 

The Chairman. Have vou any real farmers there? 

Mr. McKenzie. No; we haven’t any yet. I think our Government 

• ' %> %> 

will have to look to the northern countries to get just the class of 
people that will take advantage of the agricultural possibilities of 
Alaska, and I think it well to encourage the people from countries 
like Norway and Sweden to locate in our country. About our agri- 
cultural products, I say. I raised the first garden north of the Arctic 
Circle, as far as is known. Twenty* days after I dropped the seed in 
the soil I was eating radishes. But even as far north as that the hardy 
vegetables thrive. 

Mr. Humphrey. Do vou know anything about the exhibit that was 
made at the St. Louis fair? 

Mr. McKenzie. No; I do not. But what little showing we did 
have at Portland, people took a great interest in. I spent the most of 
my time around the Alaska exhibit while I was there. 

Mr. Jones. Was there any effort made to make the Alaskan exhibit 
a special feature there? 




ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 


9 


Mi. McKenzie. Not that I know of. Our people had no opportu¬ 
nity. 11 

. Jones. Has there been anything done so far as this exposition 
is concerned ? 

Mr. McKenzie, des; everybody is wide-awake, and we are going 
to make a better showing there in lots of things than have ever been 
made in the world. 

Mr. Rodenberg. Will the people of Alaska contribute? 

Mr. McKenzie. I es; the people in one community where I am will 
make the best showing of copper that has ever been made in this 
world. 

, MW Roden berg. Can you give us any idea of the amount that the 
citizens of Alaska expect to raise ? 

Mr. McKenzie. They can not raise any except bv private subscrip¬ 
tion. 

Mr. Rodenberg. I mean by private subscription. 

Mr. McKenzie. Now, as far as I know it will be run something 
on this line: I am interested in some copper prospects up there, and 
we will come down and make the best showing we can, and make the 
best exhibit we can in showing up our ore, and probably there will be 
somebody there to talk it up and see if they can’t raise some money 
to help develop the mine. Of course, that will be strictly a business 
proposition. 


Mr. Rodenberg. Have you any general organization up there? 

Mr. McKenzie. No; no general organization. 

Governor McGraw. I see that the city of Fairbanks is moving for 
general exhibits, and other towns will do the same. 

Mr. Miller. What about the agricultural possibility of the country 
for farming? 

CD 

Mr. McKenzie. We have great valleys that are larger than the 
valleys of Ohio. The soil is rich and fine, and there is no doubt but 
that a great amount of agricultural products will be produced. 

Mr. Cushman. They raise very tall native grass now. 

Mr. McKenzie. Take it in the northern part of Alaska, there is a 
portion of the year when we have no darkness, and the vegetation 
never stops growing, and it grows night and day, and the growth 
is something tremendous, so that while we only have maybe three 
months of growing season we almost have six months on account of 
this warm, pleasant, nice weather right along. There is a little while 
up in the north where I resided for a number of years that in the 
summer time you can constantly see the sun; it is never out of sight. 

I do not know of anything more that I can say about this matter 
except that the Alaskan people are very much interested in it, and we 
feel as though Congress should give us this encouragement. As Jong 
as we are not a burden to you we think you ought to spend some of 
our own money in helping us out to develop that great big country. 

Mr. Jones. What is likely to be the principal character of the ex¬ 
hibit from Alaska ? Will it consist of Indian curios or will it be to 
illustrate the business possibilities of the country ? 

Mr. McKenzie. My idea is that we shall make this a thoroughly 
business affair. Now, as to the expenses, for instance, up in the 
neighborhod where I am, we have a copper nugget that weighs, I 
think, 5 tons. That would be a nice thing for the people to see. It 
will cost us some $3,000 or $4,000 to get that nugget out to the sea- 


10 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 


shore. It lies right there in the bed of the creek, and I guess it 
weighs 5 tons or more. And we will make a good showing of coal, 
copper, gold, silver, and every metal you can speak of—tin, and coal 
oil. We will show you as beautiful vegetables—we will bring you 
some better vegetables than you can raise in any place outside. 

Mr. Humphrey. I have great pleasure in introducing to you 
Judge Ballinger. He was mayor of the city of Seattle for two years, 
and then was requested by the President to come down here and take 
the head of the Land Office. He is now Commissioner of the General 
Land Office, and he is also vice-president of the exposition, and is 
qualified to speak upon this matter from all sides. I take great 
pleasure in asking Judge Ballinger to address you. 

STATEMENT OF MR. R. A. BALLINGER. COMMISSIONER OF THE 

GENERAL LAND OFFICE. 

Mr. Ballinger. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, 
my address will be Seattle after the 4th of March next. 

The exposition, so far as I am acquainted with it, had its origin 
from a desire of the Alaska people to exploit their natural resources. 
The first meetings in connection with that ambition and desire was 
held in my office at Seattle, and from time to time meetings were held 
which resulted in an organization, the legal papers of which were 
drawn by myself. I have known quite intimately all of the purposes 
and origin of this enterprise, the original inception, as I say, having 
been for the purpose of giving the Alaskan people an opportunity to 
show to the world the wonderful natural resources of that country. 
It was considered impossible, or impracticable rather, to hold an ex¬ 
hibit in Alaska, and it was deemed wise, if this undertaking was 
made, to hold the exposition within the State at some convenient 
point. Therefore Seattle, being the natural port and commercial 
point which was intimately in touch with Alaskan development, an 
exposition was sought to be held at Seattle. This preliminary his¬ 
tory may not be of much value, but it illustrates the origin of the 
movements. 

The people of Seattle have felt indebted to Alaska for her own 
development largely, the wonderful resources of the country filter¬ 
ing through her banks, and her citizens, many of them being inter¬ 
ested in Alaska. I myself am interested in some large corporations 
and some banking institutions in that country, and ffbm that stand¬ 
point the inspiration for this exposition came primarily from Alaska 
itself. The Seattle people took up the enterprise with a great deal 
of vigor and energy, and labored to the extent that it was developed 
along the line of making it, so far as possible, an international affair, 
bringing in the American possessions in the Pacific Ocean, and trying 
to reach the interests of the Pacific coast in the entire Northwest in 
the matter of the exploitation of the commerce and industries, and 
in the natural resources of the entire region. 

Now, this exposition is not in any sense sentimental. The purpose 
of the Alaskan exhibit is to represent its resources, its final possibili¬ 
ties in the way of settling and developing the country as a great asset 
for the American people, and, as Mr. McKenzie has suggested, there 
is some of the most remarkable coal that is in America in southern 
Alaska. The Matenuska field is a large field. The Katella field is 



ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 


11 


a field that contains very high grade coal and that is a very large 
field. The field is estimated to be worth at least $100,000,000 as far 
as the coal is concerned. That has been prospected to the extent of 
knowing substantially what it contains. There is also the Shikan 
field, which contains the finest marble on the continent, some being 
declared to be equal to Italian marble. We have tin mines in Alaska 
and cinnabar and various other metals which will become of great 
value if brought to market, and if capital can be interested to develop 
them and make them a commercial resource. So I say that not only 
the Northwest but the Orient, the Hawaiian Islands, and the Philip¬ 
pine Islands, all those-should be brought in. What we want is more 
markets and better markets, and we want our people to understand 
what should be put into those markets to make them of the most- 
advantage to the American people, and it is only by the American 
people meeting with these conditions and becoming thoroughly 
familiar with them that they can understand the conditions and the 
capital that is necessary to develop them and bring them out. As 
was said some years ago by one of the prominent officials of Wash¬ 
ington, “ This country is a prize package, and when it- is opened it 
will startle the world.” We want an opportunity to show the world 
what this prize package is, in Alaska and in the Northwest and in 
the entire country. 

STATEMENT OF HON. FRANK CUSHMAN, MEMBER OF CONGRESS. 

Mr. Cushman. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, it 
is perfectly satisfactory to me that my remarks should be brief on 
this occasion. I think the subject has been not only generally covered, 
but very satisfactorily covered by the gentlemen who have preceded 

me. 

There are a few points that have not been emphasized, by reason 
perhaps of the modesty of the gentlemen who have spoken in refer¬ 
ence to this subject. One of those points I want to emphasize, and 
I think that should be properly emphasized, is to call the atten¬ 
tion of this committee to the character and the capacity of the men 
in the city of Seattle who have this exposition practically in charge 
and in control. They are the men of the largest concerns of the city 
of Seattle, men of tremendous energy and ability and resources. For 
instance, the president of this exposition is Mr. Chilberg, a man who 
is giving up a large part of his time to this exposition, and I under¬ 
take to say that his time could not be purchased by any other com¬ 
mercial enterprise, for any salary whatever, within reasonable limits. 

The same is true of Governor McGraw, who is here in the city of 
Washington now, giving up a large share of his valuable time to this 
exposition, and I undertake to say the same thing is true of the gov¬ 
ernor, that any other ordinary commercial enterprise he would not 
give up his time to. "We alscuhttye Mr. Goldsmith, one of the most 
prosperous men of the city of Seattle, who is behind this enterprise. 
I only want to mention that generally, to show who are the gentlemen 
that the people of Seattle have considered on the right plane to make 
this exposition a success. The largest exhibit of all in this exposition 
will be the Alaskan exhibit, and properly, because they have all the 
multiplicity of resource in Alaska, all interested in the holding of 


12 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 


this exposition. Some men may have wondered why an exposition of 
which Alaska is the chief feature should not be held in Alaska. Any 
man who is familiar with the geography of Alaska, and particularly 
the lines of travel, will understand in a moment that it is very easy 
for Alaska to hold a splendid exposition of her resources on the shores 
of Puget Sound, more easy than it is at any point in Alaska, because 
the various lines of travel from the different points of Alaska con¬ 
verge at Seattle, and the people, for instance, residing at Nome desir¬ 
ing to go from Nome to Juno or to Sitka or Ska gway or any point 
in southern Alaska, necessarily go from Nome to Seattle first and 
then take another boat back to points in southern Alaska. I mention 
that because I think it is a proper matter to be emphasized. 

I also want to call your attention to the unusual cordial relations 
that now exist between the people of Alaska and their neighbors in 
British Columbia, just across the line, and likewise the very cordial 
business and commercial relations that exist between the dependent 
States along the north of the United States and British Columbia. 
1 recall that in the largest fraternal order in Alaska, known as the 
Arctic Brotherhood, one of the mottoes that is prominent in their 
ritual illustrates the two flags, that of British Columbia and the 
American flag crossed together, and upon the two flags is written the 
motto, “ No boundary line here.” That is a bit of sentiment, but it 
grew out of an actual condition. There is a very cordial relation 
existing between our neighbors on the north of us, and I think that 
this exposition will tend not only to cement those friendly relations 
but will tend also to the outgrowth of greater business intercourse 
that will be beneficial to all parties concerned. 

Another feature of this exposition that will be worth more than 
any other is the friendly and cordial relation that it will tend to 
develop between the United States and Japan. Personally, I have 
no patience with the various rumors of war that are spread upon the 
wings of the yellow press—the pending of war between this country 
and Japan; but I do think the exposition the Japanese people are 
intending to hold within a few years, which this Government will 
undoubtedly participate in to a large extent and in a very friendly 
and cordial way, and this exposition of the Pacific Northwest, at 
which we hope the Japanese people will exhibit their resources, will 
tend practically to a better understanding and a more friendly spirit 
between these two great nations. 

There are very many other things I might mention, and I am 
sorry that the time is running short. 

I wish to emphasize for a moment the fact that the original bill in¬ 
troduced contemplated the appropriation of $1,175,000, and that by 
mutual and common consent those interested in this exposition have 
consented that we amend by reducing the amount to $700,000. It 
seems to me that that is a most reasonable proposition, and I hope 
that neither in this committee nor on the floor of the House any fur¬ 
ther effort will be made to reduce that amount, because I think it has 
now been reduced, as Governor McGraw well said, to the lowest point 
it can be reduced without impairing the efficiency of the exhibit 
sought to be made. The Portland Exposition was known to the peo¬ 
ple of the United States as the most successful of the smaller exposi¬ 
tions ever held in the United States. Without intending in any way 
to reflect on that exposition, it is my belief and judgment that the ex- 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 


13 


position which will be held in Seattle a little more than a year from 
now Avill be a much better exposition and more complete and more 
satisfactory in every way, and I am impelled to that belief for the 
reason that Seattle is a larger city than Portland. They have an ex¬ 
tremely energetic lot of people, who have started in not to lay the 
burden of this exposition upon the shoulders of the Government, but 
merely to have the Government participate in a rather small way, 
small in comparison with the money designed and expected to be ex¬ 
pended at that exposition by other parties than the United States 
Government. It is presumed that the entire expenditure of that 
exposition at Seattle, Before the gates shall close, will be in the neigh¬ 
borhood of $10,000,000, and out of that vast sum the Government is 
only expected to expend about $700,000, and that expenditure is to be 
made by the United States Government for certain dependencies and 
Territories of the United States that can not expend any money of 
their own in making satisfactory exhibits at that place. 

I do not think that at this hour I ought to take up any great amount 
of time. There are many other things I might say and would like to 
say. I want to say in closing that the people of the city of Tacoma, 
where I reside, have been for many years the commercial business 
rivals of the people of the city of Seattle, and I say this not for the 
purpose of saying merely what is well mannered, but I want to say 
that we are interested and enthusiastic, and all the people of Tacoma, 
and all the other cities in the State of Washington, are just as earn¬ 
estly behind this proposition as are the people of Seattle, and we ex¬ 
pect to receive a proportionate degree of benefit therefrom. But the 
benefits which in my judgment which will accrue from this exposi¬ 
tion will not be local; I think it will be scattered far and wide 
throughout the United States. 

Now, as to the exposition which was held at Portland, it is hard to 
estimate in actual dollars exactly what that exposition was worth to 
the great northwestern.country, and yet there is no doubt in the minds 
of all the people in our country that that exposition was worth mil¬ 
lions of dollars, not alone to the regions and localities in the great 
Northwest, but that it was worth millions of dollars to the people who 
through the means of that exposition were guided into a region of 
untold possibilities, and we feel the effects of it yet. 

Mr. Cook. What is your idea as to the ability to be ready in 1910 
with a $10,000,000 project? 

Mr. Cushman. I am glad you called that to my attention. There 
are certain advantages which we possess in the Northwest toward 
getting an exposition ready that are not possessed by other parts of 
the United States. For instance; we have in that country the most 
delightful climate, that enables the work to go on the year round. 

Now, ordinarily, a large portion of the work toward preparing the 
ground for an exposition, the grading and the preparation of the 
grounds and the'beautifying of the grounds in many locations must 
practically cease in the winter time. The work in Seattle is going- 
on right now while w T e are sitting here. A short time before I left 
home to come to Congress I took the pains to go out and go over those 
grounds. The work is going on there now and will go on all winter 
fong. One of the things that commends this proposition to my 
mind most cordially and heartily is the active and energetic way that 
the people of Seattle have laid hold of this thing and started in to 


14 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 


bear the burden of it themselves. As has been well said by Mr. 
Kellogg- and Mr. Humphrey, there is no doubt in my mind if, through 
any unfortunate circumstances, the Government should fail to partici¬ 
pate in this exposition, that there will yet be held on the shores of 
Puget Sound in 1909 one of the most successful expositions ever held 
in the United States. And having said that much, I ought to say 
further that I do not believe when we are dealing with people who 
have taken hold of a proposition of this kind as energetically as they 
have and have given their money and their time and their substance 
to make it a success the Government ought to say, “ Well, they are 
able to do it all, and we will not participate,” and I do not believe 
that is the spirit of this committee, and I do not believe it will be the 
spirit of the House of Representatives. 

Mr. Goldfogle. Do you really think it will be in complete condi¬ 
tion on June 1, if the people desire to visit it? 

Mr. Cushman. I believe it will. Sometimes there are a few little 
things that are not yet completed, but I believe that from a practical 
standpoint when that time comes that exposition will be nineteen- 
twentieths complete. There are always a few exhibits that are de¬ 
layed in getting in, and possibly one or two of the smaller buildings 
not yet completed, and people having a concession may be installing, 
but for all practical purposes I honestly believe that on that day the 
exposition will open its gates practically complete. I think there are 
certain things that ought to be considered distinctly different between 
Jamestown and an exposition in the Northwest. The people at 
Jamestown were not to blame for some of the things that existed. 
That is an old country, and the climate there is not as delightful as it 
might be, and I think to hold a successful exposition anywhere there 
ought to be certain natural reasons. 

There is no part of the United States where a greater exhibit can 
be made than can and will be made on the shores of Puget Sound, 
and the situation exists there which could not be duplicated by any 
other part of the United States. We lie out there in a beautiful 
climate, on the shores of a great inland sea, and with a perfect world 
of countries lying in a circle on the sea. All of those countries not 
only can exhibit at that exposition, but in my judgment it will be 
to their great and material advantage to exhibit there. And this 
exposition is intended to be a great commercial exposition. Iam not 
here to decry the importance of great historical interests in the 
United States, but we do live in a great commercial age, and the 
great commercial features of this exposition lie at the basis of it, 
and this is one of the things that gives me belief that it will be a 
great success, because it appeals to the business side of man’s nature, 
and many a man will go to the exposition and make an exhibit of 
his property and his resources in order to benefit either himself or 
the community in Avhich he resides that would not attend an exposi¬ 
tion merely to celebrate a historical event, however'important. 

STATEMENT OF HON. W. L. JONES, OF WASHINGTON. 

Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, there is but little 
to add to what has been said by those who have preceded me. They 
have covered the subject fully. You have had presented to you the 
objects and purposes of this exposition, and you have been ‘told of 
what we have done for ourselves. It must be apparent to you that 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 


15 


this exposition will be held, and that it will be a success, whether the 
Government makes an exhibit or not. The energy and business capac¬ 
ity of the people of Seattle is a sufficient guaranty of this, and the 
hearty cooperation of the State and the counties of Washington ren¬ 
der it absolutely certain. 

As has been shown to you, there will be spent several millions of 
dollars in making this exposition a success. It will be no mere fair 
of a local or even a State character. It will be a great big interna¬ 
tional exposition, participated in by all the Pacfic coast States, as 
well as many of the others, and by the nations bordering on the Pacific 
in whose trade and development the whole nation is interested. We 
invite the Federal Government to participate by making an exhibit. 
Can it afford to do less than accept this invitation and make a cred¬ 
itable showing? This is all we ask, and we can not believe this invi¬ 
tation will be refused. This committee will surely recommend a 
sufficient appropriation for this purpose. 

This exposition is not being held entirely for our own benefit. 
That western country must furnish the homes for your overplus pop¬ 
ulation. We can-do it. We have the land and the natural resources 
to build up a mighty empire beyond the Rocky Mountains and in 
Alaska. We want to have a chance to show you what we can do. 
W e want to get your people out there so they can see for themselves. 
Government participation will help us do it. We can show your 
people the grandest scenery on the continent. We can show them 
the most attractive bodies of water on the globe. We can take you 

C_' « 

at small expense upon the most interesting and instructive trips that 
can be taken anywhere. A trip across the continent to many of your 
people is a liberal education. To -see Seattle and its people is of 
itself the experience of a lifetime. To see their energy, their stu¬ 
pendous work, and their buoyant optimism is an inspiration that 
will repay the nation for any expenditure it may make. We will 
show you the products of our soil, our mines, our forests, and our 
fisheries, and our great maritime advantages. All these must be seen 
to be appreciated. We don't dare to tell you the truth about what 
we can raise on an acre of ground, or cut from an acre of timber, or 
take from the water, nor how easily we can sail into and out of our 
harbors. Nor do we dare tell you of the pleasures of our climate. 
We must get you out there to see and feel for yourselves. 

We ask the paltry sum of $100,000 for an exhibit from Alaska. 
This is a beggarly sum. The Government should give it cheerfully 
and without hesitation, and more too. They have no local govern¬ 
ment : they can't do it themselves. Alaska has poured into the Fed¬ 
eral Treasury over $11,000,000 of revenues and has enriched us by over 
$300,000,000 worth of products, and now adds to our national wealth 
in gold alone almost $20,000,000 a vear. It has untold wealth in 
coal, copper, timber, furs, and fisheries. There are over 375,000.000 
acres of land, millions of it good agricultural land and capable of 
supporting, and which will support sometime in the future, hundreds 
of thousands, aye. millions, of people. We want to show you the pos¬ 
sibilities of this splendid domain, its stupendous resources, its magnifi¬ 
cent wealth, and the reasons for our faith in this mighty Territory. 
The people there now are your constituents. They have come from 
your State and from all the other States of the Union. Those who 
will go there hereafter will come largely from the same source. The 


IB 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 


National Government takes from their hardly earned wealth a mil¬ 
lion dollars a year, with practically no return either in Government 
or financial assistance. With the pick and shovel they dig from the 
frozen earth millions a year and add to our national wealth. They 
ask you to give them the paltry sum of $100,000 that they may show 
you something of their possibilities. Upon what excuse can their 
request be denied ? 

We ask that Hawaii may be given $25,000 in order to display her 
products and make known her possibilities. This isn’t much, but it 
means much to them and their little islands. I but repeat what has 
been said to you before when I say that she has contributed to the 
Federal Treasury over $10,000,000 and has received very little in re¬ 
turn. These islands came to us voluntarily, and yet we may have had 
more to do with it than we generally admit. I had the pleasure of 
visiting them last spring. They are wonderful islands and a most- 
interesting people. Their agricultural possibilities can be shown 
only by such an exhibit as might be made at this fair or by an actual 
visit. They want people of the Caucasian race to settle there and 
make homes. The opportunities must be shown in some way. In¬ 
stead of being an oriental dependency and an actual menace in time 
of war, they should be peopled with those in sympathy with our own 
ideas of life and government. The native Hawaiians are a magnifi¬ 
cent people. Gentle, kindly, hospitable, honest, and trustful; of 
splendid physique and much intellectual power, and with the proper 
care, encouragement, and consideration they will make as good citi¬ 
zens as any that honor and revere our flag. They should be enabled 
to make an exhibit showing their early life, habits, customs, and 
handiwork. They could make one that would be most interesting 
and very instructive. They should also be enabled to show the work 
they are doing in an educational way. This is truly wonderful. They 
can teach us valuable lessons in the conduct and administration of 
their schools. Their system is of the best, the results attained re¬ 
markable and inspiring. Their motto is “ One flag, one language, 
and one country,” a motto which we could follow with great profit. 
These islands will furnish ideal homes for thousands of the immi¬ 
grants now coming to our shores, who would find there a most 
hospitable soil and a homelike climate and who would become happy, 
prosperous, and contented citizens. 

I can add nothing to what has been said regarding the Philippines 
by Secretary Taft and those who have preceded me. 

I want to emphasize the fact that this is no real-estate scheme. The 
grounds upon which the exposition will be held belong to the State. 
The stock is all common stock. The stockholders will get absolutely 
nothing except what may be left after all expenses are paid. It 
is to be hoped that there will be some left, but the men who are behind 
this enterprise do not hope to make any money out of it. Our people 
hope to profit by the general benefit that may come to our section. 
We believe the whole country will share in this as well as we. If op- 
portunitities are opened up to your neighbors, and constituents by 
which they may better their condition, and we secure industrious and 
energetic and loyal citizens a mutual benefit is conferred and the na¬ 
tion is the gainer thereby. In my judgment this committee will be 
rendering a patriotic service to their country by recommending a 
reasonable appropriation for a Government exhibit, so that the people 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 


17 


of the country may know that this exposition has the approval of the 
nation. Our request is modest, fair, and just. We trust it will be 
granted without hesitation. 

Just merely to sum up what we are asking in this hill. As has 
been stated, it has been reduced from a little over $1,000,000 to 
$»00,000. I would like if this committee could raise some of those 
items. I would like this committee to give a little more than $25,000 
for Hawaii and a bit more for the Philippine Islands. It seems to 
me that is a little too small, that with that sum of money they can not 
make the exhibit that they really ought to make. Now, our people 
have cut it down to the very limit, as they have stated, and I believe 
this committee would be doing a good thing if they would raise it 
just a little. All we ask is $250,000 for a Government exhibit, $25,000 
for Hawaii that is what it is cut to—$25,000 for the Philippines, 
and $100,000 for Alaska, making $400,000, and $300,000 for build¬ 
ings. While we will be satisfied if you report that amount, which 
has already passed the Senate, I believe you would do nothing more 
than what is right and what is just toward these people if you would 
raise this amount just a little bit and give Hawaii a few thousand 
dollars more and 


give to the Philippines a few thousand dollars 


more. 

Mr. Cook. What would be your idea of the amount? 

Mr. Jones. I should think it ought to be $50,000 for each of 
those two countries. Hawaii has turned in a revenue of over $10,- 
000,000, and they have gotten very little in return from the Govern¬ 
ment. The public buildings over there that they had—they belonged 
to the people of Hawaii and are used by our Government as well as 
the local government. They built their light-houses. We have not 
even taken them over yet, and A\-e have given them just a little for 
the improvement of their harbors, so that it seems to me we would 
* simply be doing justice to them to give $50,000 instead of $25,000. 
We do not know much about the Philippine Islands, and we can not 
know unless they make a proper showing. It is a long ways off, and 
it seems to me $50,000 would not be any too much, in fact it would 
be small enough for these people here, and I think this committee 
could well afford to show a little bit more liberality than we have 
asked for and the Senate has passed. 

I will not take the time of the committee any further, but I will 
say that there is no question about the State of Washington being 
behind this proposition. 


STATEMENT OF WILLIAM E. HUMPHREY, MEMBER OF THE 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 

Mr. Humphrey. I want to thank the committee for the courtesy 
they have extended to us in this hearing, and I want to call atten¬ 
tion to the fact that since we had our hearing the other day the bill 
has passed the Senate, and of course I ask that the Senate bill be 
reported rather than the one which 1 introduced. 

The Chairman. The bill reported by the Senate is entirely satis¬ 
factory to you gentlemen ? 

Mr. Humphrey. With the single exception that I do hope the 
committee will - follow the suggestion of Congressman Jones in 

27822—08-2 



18 


ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 


regard to the Philippines and Hawaii. It does seem to me that, 
when you consider the importance of these Territories to this coun¬ 
try, $25,000 is an insignificant sum. It looks as though they were 
not properly considered in making that appropriation, and I think 
it ought to be done in each of those instances. 

Mr. Howell. These figures were arived at after consultation with 


Government officials? 

Mr. Humphrey. I do not know how these figures were arrived at. 
Individually I never heard of the cutting down of these items until 
it was reported to me. 

Mr. Jones. Those who did cut them down cut it right to the bone. 

Mr. Howell. Do you want an additional appropriation for Alaska 
also ? 

Mr. Jones. One hundred thousand dollars will cover that in pretty 
good shape, I think. 


(At 12.30 p. m. the committee adjourned.) 






















































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